think
To use the mind to consider, reason, or form connected ideas.
Etymology
From Old English þencan, from Proto-Germanic *þankijaną, from PIE *tong- "to think, to feel." This is distinct from the related PIE root *men- "to think, to have in mind" which gave Latin mēns "mind" and English "mind" itself. The Germanic form shows the characteristic Grimm's Law shift of *t- to þ- (th-).
The Journey: *tong- → think
*tong-
*þankijaną
þencan
think
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *tong-. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Latin | tongēre (to know) |
| Gothic | þagkjan |
| Old Norse | þekkja (to perceive) |
| Old Frisian | thenza |
| Old High German | denken |
Did You Know?
The words "think" and "thank" come from the same Proto-Germanic root — to thank someone was originally to think of them, to hold them in mind. "Thought" is from the same source. The related but distinct root *men- gave "mind," "mental," and "memory."
This word descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *tong-. See the full root page for descendant trees, sound law references, and scholarly discussion.