NYT Dictionary

THOUGH

/ðoʊ/
AdverbConjunctionVerbTHOHGrade 3

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

Despite that; however.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *to-der. Proto-Indo-European *-weder. Proto-Germanic *þau Proto-Indo-European *-kʷeder. Proto-Germanic *-hw Proto-Germanic *þauh Proto-West Germanic *þauh Old English þēah ▲ Proto-Germanic *þauh Old Norse *þóhder. Middle English thogh English though From Middle English though, thogh, from Old Norse *þóh (later þó). Superseded (in most dialects) Middle English thegh, from Old English þēah (“though, although, even if, that, however, nevertheless, yet, still; whether”). Both the Old Norse and Old English are from Proto-Germanic *þauh (“though”), from Proto-Indo-European *to-, suffixed with Proto-Germanic *-hw < Proto-Indo-European *-kʷe (“and”). Akin to Scots tho (“though”), Saterland Frisian dach (“though”), West Frisian dôch, dochs (“though”), Dutch doch (“though”), German doch (“though”), Danish dog (“though, however”), Swedish dock (“however, still”), Icelandic þó (“though”). More at that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

all the samealthoughanyhowanywayeven soin any caseneverthelessnonethelessstillyet

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 10 recorded puzzles:

Join the Spelling Bee Community

Get solving strategies, rare word lists, and puzzle tips in your inbox every week.