What does "thanksgiving" mean?
The expression of gratitude.
Thanksgiving
/θæŋksˈɡɪvɪŋ/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The expression of gratitude.
- Grammar: thanksgiving is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: acknowledgment, aid prayer, angelus, appeal.
- Useful contrasts: ingratitude, nonholiday, ungrateful.
- Usage evidence: You have Halloween and Thanksgiving Day.
How to use "thanksgiving"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "thanksgiving" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "thanksgiving" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "thanksgiving" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "thanksgiving" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "thanksgiving" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "acknowledgment" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "thanksgiving", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The expression of gratitude. countable, uncountable
"Now the happy king laid the forehead of thankſgiving upon the duſt of gratitude; he opened the doors of his wealth to the four winds, and enriched the world, at once, with his munificence."
- 2 a short prayer of thanks before a meal wordnet
- 3 A short prayer said at meals; grace, a benediction. countable, uncountable
- 4 fourth Thursday in November in the United States; second Monday in October in Canada; commemorates a feast held in 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag wordnet
- 5 A public celebration in acknowledgement of divine favour. countable, uncountable
"Hester Earle and Violet Wayne were moving about the aisle with bundles of wheat-ears and streamers of ivy, for the harvest thanksgiving was shortly to be celebrated, while the vicar stood waiting for their directions on the chancel steps with a great handful of crimson gladioli."
Proper Noun
- 1 Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada, and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Canada, US
"It is at present impossible to determine when the General Court will adjourn, none of the great business having as yet been attended to, so as to be completed, but there seems to be a general determination to be at home at Thanksgiving. I hope it will be possible."
- 2 The long weekend which includes Thanksgiving Day; Thanksgiving weekend. Canada, US
- 3 An analogous celebration in other cultures, especially a harvest festival.
"Thus Sukkot became the Jewish Thanksgiving."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"You have Halloween and Thanksgiving Day."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "thanksgiving"?
Common synonyms include: acknowledgment, aid prayer, angelus, appeal, appreciation, ave.
How do you use "thanksgiving" in a sentence?
You have Halloween and Thanksgiving Day.
How do you pronounce "thanksgiving"?
Pronounced /θæŋksˈɡɪvɪŋ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
A proprialization from the common noun thanksgiving; by surface analysis, thanks + giving.
Etymology 2
From thanks + giving.