thanks means used to express appreciation or gratitude. It carries an Arena rating of 1646, earned across 10 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, thanks ranks #1,098 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #1,388 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #3,824 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #3,920 of 17,130 for Most Beautiful Words.
thanks is pronounced /ˈθæŋks/.
Why “thanks” is a great word
A spoken or written token of gratitude, an acknowledgement of a kindness received. From Middle English *thanks*, *thankes*, from Old English *þancas* ("thanks"), from Proto-Germanic *þankōs*, nominative plural of *þankaz* ("thought, gratitude"), from Proto-Indo-European *teng-* ("to think, feel"). Unlike "gratitude," which names the quiet, internal feeling, or "appreciation," which denotes a more formal, intellectual valuation, *thanks* is the feeling made immediate sound, the social currency of goodwill. It is the murmured word to the stranger who holds a door, the scribbled note at the bottom of an email, the collective chorus shouted over a closing piano lid—the small, human ritual that momentarily bridges the isolating silence between selves, a fragile, audible proof that a thought has been held for you, then given.
Etymology
From Middle English thanks, thankes, from Old English þancas (“thanks”), from Proto-Germanic *þankōs, nominative plural of *þankaz (“thought, gratitude”), from Proto-Indo-European *teng- (“to think, feel”). More at thank.
intj
- Used to express appreciation or gratitude.e.g.“Could you give me a hand, please? — Yes, sure. — Thanks. —Have you got enough now? —Yes, thanks.”
noun
- An expression of appreciation or gratitude.e.g.“After all I’ve done, a simple acknowledgment is the thanks I get?”
- Grateful feelings or thoughts; favour, goodwill, graciousness.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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