What does thou mean?
Thou is an archaic English second-person singular pronoun, the older equivalent of “you,” used when one person is being addressed. In earlier English it was ordinary speech, but it largely disappeared from everyday use as the pronoun system became standardized. Today it survives in poetry, Bible translations, legal formulae, religious language, and deliberately old-fashioned dialogue, where it can sound solemn, intimate, archaic, or theatrical. Its forms include “thee” as the object form and “thy” and “thine” as possessives, with “thou art,” “thou hast,” and “thou shalt” appearing in familiar expressions. The word comes from Old English þū and ultimately from a Germanic second-person singular pronoun. Although modern speakers normally say “you,” “thou” remains useful because it marks both meaning and register, allowing writers to evoke an earlier era or a distinctive voice.
pronounThou is the archaic second-person singular pronoun used to address one person, roughly equivalent to modern English “you.” It is now chiefly found in archaic, poetic, biblical, legal, and religious language.
- An archaic second-person singular pronoun used to address one person, especially in literary, religious, legal, or deliberately old-fashioned contexts.
"Though thou art weary, thou shalt find rest."
"Thou art welcome to join us."
"Lord, if thou wilt, remember me."
Thou is one of English’s most famous fossils: a pronoun that still sounds like a voice from the Middle Ages.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does thou come from?
The form comes from Old English þū, an inherited Germanic second-person singular pronoun. It continued in Middle English as thou and was progressively replaced in standard English by you, while surviving in literary, religious, and legal traditions. It is cognate with Old Norse þú and German du; the related English forms thee, thy, and thine developed from the same pronoun system.
Related word forms
How thou is actually used
Thou is no longer part of ordinary contemporary English. Its use signals an archaic, poetic, religious, legal, theatrical, or otherwise deliberately traditional register. It addresses one person and is distinct in form and function from the modern plural and singular forms of “you.”
Easily confused with thou
“Thou” is the archaic second-person pronoun “you,” whereas “though” is a conjunction or adverb meaning “despite” or “however.”
“Thou” is a pronoun used to address one person, while “through” is a preposition or adverb meaning “from one side or end to the other.”