Origin and history of thanks

thanks(n.)

mid-13c., plural of thank (n.) "expression of gratitude; kind feeling for another after a benefit received or service done," from Old English þanc, þonc in its secondary sense of "grateful thought, good will, gratitude." This is from the same Proto-Germanic root as thank (v.).

In prehistoric times the Germanic noun seems to have expanded from "a thinking of, a remembering" to also mean "remember fondly, think of with gratitude." Compare Old Saxon thank, Old Frisian thank, Old Norse þökk, Dutch dank, German Dank.

The Old English noun chiefly meant "thought, reflection, sentiment; mind, will, purpose," also "grace, mercy, pardon; pleasure, satisfaction," all now obsolete. The noun is used now exclusively in the plural.

Thanks as a common expression or acknowledgment (1580s) is short for I give you thanks, etc.; often with extensions, such as thanks a lot (1908). The form thanx is attested by 1888 as an illiterate spelling, by 1894 as a commercial or informal spelling.

Thanx. That's one way to spell thanks. We are going to close our store from 11 o'clock to 2 oclock Thursday in order to have a short spell of thanx ourselves. [ad for The Mudge Mercantile Company, Eskridge (Kansas) Star, Thu., Nov. 26, 1896]

also from mid-13c.

Entries linking to thanks

thank(v.)

Middle English thanken, from Old English þancian, þoncian "give thanks; to recompense, to reward," from Proto-Germanic *thankōjanan (source also of Old Saxon thancon, Old Norse þakka, Danish takke, Old Frisian thankia, Old High German danchon, Middle Dutch, Dutch, German danken "to thank"), from *thankoz "thought; gratitude" (from PIE root *tong- "to think, feel").

It is related phonetically to think as song is to sing; for sense evolution, compare Old High German minna "loving memory," originally "memory." Also compare related Old English noun þanc, þonc, originally "thought," but also "good thoughts, gratitude."

By c. 1200 as "express gratitude to." In ironical use, "to blame," from 1550s. To thank (someone) for nothing is recorded from 1703. Related: Thanked; thanking.

pickthank(n.)

also pick-thank, c. 1500, "an officious fellow who does what he is not asked to do for the sake of gaining favor, a parasite or toady," from phrase pick thanks "procure consideration or favor by servile or underhanded means" (early 15c.); see pick (v.) + thanks.