Thou
/ðaʊ/noun
An archaic second-person singular pronoun used to address one person.
Did you know?In many ancient cultures, using a singular pronoun like 'thou' was a way to establish intimacy or even invoke a sense of divine connection.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
þū
“Thou, a familiar singular pronoun used in personal address.”
Old English
OE
þū
“Thou, the second-person singular pronoun, used for addressing a friend or loved one.”
Middle English
ME
thou
“Thou, maintained in use for informal or familiar address while 'you' was becoming formal.”
Early Modern English
EME
thou
“Thou, increasingly seen as archaic as 'you' became the universal form.”
Modern English
ModE
thou
“Thou, now primarily historical or poetic, evoking a sense of nostalgia or formality.”