Where does “thrice” come from?
Thrice comes from Middle English thrīce, derived from Middle English thrī meaning "three."
thrice (English): Three times
Definitions
- Three times
Ancestry of “thrice”, step by step
thrice traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English thrīce
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | thrīce | — |
| 2 | Middle English | thrīe | three times, thrice; a third time |
| 3 | Old English | þreowa | three times, thrice |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *þriwō | — |
via Middle English thries
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | thries | three times, thrice; a third time; repeated three... |