thank-you

American

[thangk-yoo] / ˈθæŋkˌyu /

adjective

expressing one's gratitude or thanks.

a thank-you note.

noun

an expression of thanks, as by saying “thank you”.

I never got so much as a thank-you for helping him.

thank you British

interjection

a conventional expression of gratitude

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of thank-you

1785–95 thank-you for def. 2; noun and adj. use of verb phrase thank you

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

So I wrote her a thank-you for saying yes/stalker-level fan email.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

"It's been such a big influx of messages and comments, but if I could say thank you to everyone, then this is my thank-you."

From BBC • May 20, 2026

Hilton may well be sending his opponent a thank-you note and a bottle of bubbly for that performance.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Not getting a thank-you note for a wedding gift.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

I breathe out and smile at him as a kind of thank-you.

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023