thankee
Thank you, said short and old-timey.
Also called thank ye, thanky, thankye.
Updated September 24, 2026
thankee pronunciation
/THANG-kee/
Meaning
A clipped thank you. Comes from thank ye, with ye as the mountain pronunciation of you. Older Appalachian speakers still say thankee or thank ye kindly when somebody hands them a plate or holds a door. Polite without sounding city-formal.
How folks use it
- “Thankee for the ride into town.”
- “She handed him a biscuit and he said, thankee kindly.”
Origin and etymology
From thank ye. OED dates thankee to the 1820s. Appalachian ye traces to Scots-Irish speech, not only the King James Bible form. Merriam-Webster lists thankee, thanky, and thankye as gratitude markers. Mountain families kept the short form in everyday manners.
Frequently asked questions
Is thankee the same as thank you?
Yes. Same gratitude, shorter mouthful, and it sounds more old-country.