different between thank vs merci

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: th?ngk IPA^(key): /?æ?k/
• (US) IPA^(key): [?æ?k], [ðæ?k]
• (UK) IPA^(key): [?a?k]
• (æ-tensing, NYC) IPA^(key): [?e???k], [t?e???k], [ðe???k]
• Rhymes: -æ?k

Etymology 1

From Middle English thank, from Old English þanc (“thought, favour, grace, pleasure, satisfaction, thanks”), from Proto-Germanic *þankaz (“thought, remembrance, gratitude”), from Proto-Indo-European *tong-, *teng- (“to think”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Tonk, West Frisian tank, Dutch dank, Low German Dank, German Dank, Danish tak, Swedish tack, Faroese tøkk, Icelandic þökk. Related to thought.

Noun

thank (plural thanks)

1. (obsolete) An expression of appreciation; a thought.

Etymology 2

From Middle English thanken, thankien, from Old English þancian, þoncian (“to thank, give thanks”), from Proto-Germanic *þank?n? (“to thank”), from Proto-Germanic *þankaz (“thought, gratitude”), from Proto-Indo-European *teng- (“to think, feel”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian tonkje (“to thank”), West Frisian tanke (“to thank”), Dutch danken (“to thank”), Low German danken (“to thank”), German danken (“to thank”), Danish takke (“to thank”), Swedish tacka (“to thank”), Icelandic þakka (“to thank”). Related to thought.

Verb

thank (third-person singular simple present thanks, present participle thanking, simple past and past participle thanked)

1. (transitive) To express gratitude or appreciation toward.
   • 1900, L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Chapter 23

     The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Lion now thanked the Good Witch earnestly for her kindness; and Dorothy exclaimed: […]
2. (transitive) To feel gratitude or appreciation toward.
   • 1844, The Quarterly Review (volume 74, page 104)

     Our readers would not thank us for going into the badgerings which had for some time annoyed the chancellor on the subject of arrears in his court.

3. (transitive) To credit or hold responsible.

Derived terms

• bethank
• thankable
• thankworthy
• unthank

Related terms

• thanks
• thank you
• think

Translations

Scots

Etymology

From Old English þancian, þoncian (“to thank, give thanks”), from Proto-Germanic *þank?n? (“to thank”),

Verb

thank (third-person singular present thanks, present participle thankin, past thankit, past participle thankit)

1. to thank

English

Etymology

French merci (“thank you”)

Interjection

merci

1. (colloquial) thank you

Noun

merci (plural mercis)

1. An extra card or set of cards that is allowed to play at the end of various card games.

Anagrams

• CRIME, REMIC, crime

Alemannic German

Etymology

Borrowed from French merci.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?m?rsi/

Interjection

merci

1. thank you

Synonyms

• dankche
• fergälts Got
• tank
• vrattrus Got
• wol vergelzgott

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from French merci.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /?m??.si/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /?m?r.si/

Interjection

merci

1. (colloquial) thank you

Synonyms

• gràcies
• mercès

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French merci.

Interjection

merci

1. (chiefly Belgium) thank you

   Synonyms: dank, dank je, dank je wel, dank u, dank u wel, bedankt

Noun

merci f (plural mercis, diminutive mercikes n)

1. (chiefly Belgium) thank you

   Synonyms: dank, dankjewel, dankuwel

French

Etymology

From Middle French merci, mercy, from Old French merci, from Latin merc?dem, accusative singular of merc?s (“wages, fee, price”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m??.si/
• (France, Paris) IPA^(key): [m??.si]
• (Louisiana) IPA^(key): [mæ(?).si]
• Homophone: mercis

Interjection

merci

1. thank you

Noun

merci f (uncountable)

1. mercy, grace

Derived terms

Descendants

Further reading

• “merci” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• cimer, crime

German

Etymology

Borrowed from French merci.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m???si?/
• (Switzerland) IPA^(key): /?m??.si/

Interjection

merci

1. (chiefly Switzerland) thank you

   Synonyms: danke, danke schön, ich danke schön

Further reading

• “merci” in Duden online

Italian

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: mèr?ci

Noun

merci f

1. plural of merce

Anagrams

• cremi

Latin

Noun

merc?

1. dative singular of merx

Norman

Alternative forms

• mercie (Guernsey)

Etymology

From Old French merci (“mercy; clemency”), from Latin merc?s, merc?dem (“wages, fee, price”).

Interjection

merci

1. (Guernsey) thank you

Derived terms

• mercie bian (“thank you very much”)

Old French

Alternative forms

• merchi

Noun

merci f (nominative singular merci)

1. mercy; clemency