thy

UK: ðaɪ | US: ðaɪ

Definition

  1. adj. (archaic) belonging to or associated with the person being addressed; your (singular, informal)

Structure
th <old English demonstrative/possessive>y <variant suffix>
Etymology

"Thy" originates from Old English þīn, the genitive form of þū (thou, meaning "you"). The þ (thorn) represented the "th" sound, later replaced by "th" in spelling. Over time, þīn evolved into "thy," functioning as the singular possessive adjective ("your") in Early Modern English. It was used informally before being largely replaced by "your" in contemporary English. The -y ending reflects phonetic simplification from Middle English.

Examples

  1. "Lend me thy book, friend."

  2. "I beseech thee, keep thy promise."

  3. "Thy words are wise beyond thy years."

  4. "How fares thy family?"

  5. "Forgive thy neighbor as thyself."