Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “thy” come from?

thy (Middle English) comes from Middle English self, from Old English self, from Proto-West Germanic *selb, from Proto-Germanic selbaz, from Proto-Indo-European selbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European s(w)e-, from Proto-Indo-European swé — self.

thy (Middle English): Alternative form of þi; Alternative form of þe;...

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of þi; Alternative form of þe;...

Ancestry of “thy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishselfsame, aforementioned; very; own
2Old Englishselfself
3Proto-West Germanic*selb—
4Proto-Germanicselbazself
5Proto-Indo-Europeanselbʰ-one's own
6Proto-Indo-Europeans(w)e-separate, apart; separate; apart; oneself; one's...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanswéself
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swé →