Where does “thanks” come from?

Thanks descends from Middle English thanks, Old English þancas, and Proto-Germanic þankōs and þankaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots tong- and teng-.

thanks (English): Used to express appreciation or gratitude; plural...

Definitions

  1. Used to express appreciation or gratitude; plural...

Ancestry of “thanks”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishthanks
2Old Englishþancasthanks
3Proto-Germanicþankōs
4Proto-Germanicþankazthought; mind; consideration; remembrance;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanteng-to think

Words derived from “thanks

Every word from Proto-Indo-European teng-