What does "thee" mean?
The letter ⟨(⟩, which stands for the th sound /ð/ in Pitman shorthand.
Thee
/ðiː/ article, noun, pron, verb
article, noun, pron, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The letter ⟨(⟩, which stands for the th sound /ð/ in Pitman shorthand.
- Grammar: thee is listed as article, noun, pron, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: modern you, present day you, second person you, you.
- Useful contrasts: thou.
- Usage evidence: As Ben Jonson put it, "Speak that I may see thee."
How to use "thee"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "thee" 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 "thee" 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 "thee" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "thee" 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 "thee" is acting as article, noun, pron, verb 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 "modern you" 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 "thee", 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 letter ⟨(⟩, which stands for the th sound /ð/ in Pitman shorthand.
Verb
- 1 To address (a person) using the pronoun thee. transitive
"What! doſt thou not believe that God's Thouing and theeing was and is ſound Speech? [...] And theeing & Thouing of one ſingle Perſon was the language of Chriſt Jeſus, and the Holy Prophets and Apoſtles both under the Diſpenſations of Law and Goſpel, [...]"
- 2 To thrive; prosper. UK, intransitive, obsolete
"Well mote thee, as well can wish your thought."
- 3 To use the word thee. intransitive
"The hardcore role-players will wake up one day feeling, like a dead weight on their chest, the strain of endless texting in Renaissance Faire English—yet dutifully go on theeing and thouing all the same."
Pronoun
- 1 Objective and reflexive case of thou. archaic, literary, objective, second-person, singular
"Prince Henry: Did I ever call for thee to pay thy part? Falstaff: No; I'll give thee thy due, thou hast paid all there."
- 2 Honorific alternative letter-case form of thee, sometimes used when referring to God or another important figure who is understood from context. alt-of, honorific
- 3 Thou. archaic, dialectal, objective, second-person, singular
"[H]e immediately perceived when I was taken ill, and, after seeing Mama, said to me "I am afraid Thee art not well thyself?""
Article
- 1 Alternative spelling of the. alt-of, alternative, nonstandard, rare
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"As Ben Jonson put it, "Speak that I may see thee.""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "thee"?
Common synonyms include: modern you, present day you, second person you, you, you are.
How do you use "thee" in a sentence?
As Ben Jonson put it, "Speak that I may see thee."
How do you pronounce "thee"?
Pronounced /ðiː/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English þe, from Old English þē (“thee”, originally dative, but later also accusative, supplanting accusative þec), from Proto-Germanic *þiz (“thee”), from Proto-Indo-European *te (“second-person singular pronoun”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian die (“thee”), West Frisian dy (“thee”), German Low German di (“thee”), German dir (“thee”, dative pron.), Icelandic þér (“thee”). More at thou.
Etymology 2
From Middle English theen (“to increase, prosper, flourish”), from Old English þēon (“to thrive, prosper, flourish, grow”), from Proto-Germanic *þinhaną (“to thrive, succeed”), from Proto-Indo-European *tenk- (“to succeed, turn out well”). Cognate with Dutch gedijen (“to flourish, thrive, prosper, succeed”), German gedeihen (“to thrive”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌽 (gaþeihan, “to increase, thrive”).
Etymology 3
From Pitman zee, which it is related to phonetically and graphically, and the sound it represents.
Etymology 4
Respelling of the popularized by Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth.