Thoughtful
/ˈθɔːt.fəl/noun
Showing consideration or care; occupied with thought.
Did you know?Though it sounds gentle, *thoughtful* ultimately comes from a Germanic root meaning “to think,” and that root is also tied to words for memory and mental holding across the Germanic family.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tong- / *tenk-
“to think, feel, or perceive”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*thankōną
“to think, consider; also to thank”
Old English
English
þoht
“thought, idea, reflection”
Old English
English
þohtful
“full of thought; thoughtful, considerate”
Middle English
English
thoghtful
“thoughtful, reflective; later also anxious or care-laden”
Modern English
English
thoughtful
“showing careful consideration or absorbed in thought”