this

A1 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

Also spelled Thish, this’n, and thith

US /ðɪs/ UK /ðɪs/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like diss /ð/ vs /d/ Sounds like dis /ð/ vs /d/

Freq #15

Meanings

1

det
Referring to a person or thing that is here or nearby.

This classroom is where I learned to read.
2

pron
The thing or person being shown or pointed to.

This isn't the item that I ordered.
3

det
Referring to the current or nearest period of time.

It is very cold this morning.
4

adv
To the degree or amount shown.

I didn't expect the box to be this heavy.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms tis

Derived forms this-a-waythis-worldlinessthis-worldlythisness

Related forms that these those

Appears in

Idioms (2)

See all

this that and the other
various unspecified things
watch this space
used to say that more news or developments will come soon

Tongue twisters (1)

See all

Betty Botter
Betty Botter bought some butter. “But,” she said, “this butter’s bitter; If I put it in my batter, It will make my batter bitter; But a bit of better butter Will but make my batter better.” So she bought a bit of butter Better than the bitter butter, And made her bitter batter better. So it was better Betty Botter Bought a bit of better butter.

Compare the vowels in bit, better, batter and butter while keeping /b/ steady. Use your normal accent for the middle consonant of Betty, ...

Etymology

From Middle English this, from Old English þis (neuter demonstrative), from North Sea Germanic base *þa- "that", from Proto-Germanic *þat, from Proto-Indo-European *tód, extended form of demonstrative base *to-; + North-West Germanic definitive suffix -s, from Proto-Indo-European *só (“this, that”). Cognate with Scots this (“this”), Saterland Frisian dusse (“this”), West Frisian dizze (“this”), German dies, dieses (“this”), Old Gutnish þissi (“this”).

this Middle English þis Old English *þat Proto-Germanic *tód Proto-Indo-European *só Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Grammar & Function Words

External links

# this

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** det, pron, adv
**IPA (US):** /ðɪs/
**IPA (UK):** /ðɪs/
**Frequency rank:** 15

## Meanings
1. Referring to a person or thing that is here or nearby.
2. The thing or person being shown or pointed to.
3. Referring to the current or nearest period of time.
4. To the degree or amount shown.

## Examples
- This classroom is where I learned to read.
- This isn't the item that I ordered.
- It is very cold this morning.
- I didn't expect the box to be this heavy.

## Derived Forms
- this-a-way
- this-worldliness
- this-worldly
- thisness

## Related Forms
- that
- these
- those

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: this
- Root: þis
- Root: *þat
- Root: *tód
- Root: *só

## Etymology
From Middle English this, from Old English þis (neuter demonstrative), from North Sea Germanic base *þa- "that", from Proto-Germanic *þat, from Proto-Indo-European *tód, extended form of demonstrative base *to-; + North-West Germanic definitive suffix -s, from Proto-Indo-European *só (“this, that”). Cognate with Scots this (“this”), Saterland Frisian dusse (“this”), West Frisian dizze (“this”), German dies, dieses (“this”), Old Gutnish þissi (“this”).

## AI Etymology
This is from Middle English this, from Old English þis (neuter demonstrative), from North Sea Germanic base *þa- "that", from Proto-Germanic *þat, from Proto-Indo-European *tód, extended form of demonstrative base *to-; + North-West Germanic definitive suffix -s, from Proto-Indo-European *só (“this, that”). Cognate with Scots this (“this”), Saterland Frisian dusse (“this”), West Frisian dizze (“this”), German dies, dieses (“this”), Old Gutnish þissi (“this”).

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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