the

1 of 4

definite article

before consonants usually

t͟hə 

 before vowels usually  t͟hē,

 sometimes before vowels also  t͟hə;

for emphasis before titles and names or to suggest uniqueness often

ˈt͟hē 

1

a

—used as a function word to indicate that a following noun or noun equivalent is definite or has been previously specified by context or by circumstance

put the cat out

b

—used as a function word to indicate that a following noun or noun equivalent is a unique or a particular member of its class

the President

the Lord

c

—used as a function word before nouns that designate natural phenomena or points of the compass

the night is cold

d

—used as a function word before a noun denoting time to indicate reference to what is present or immediate or is under consideration

in the future

e

—used as a function word before names of some parts of the body or of the clothing as an equivalent of a possessive adjective

how's the arm today

f

—used as a function word before the name of a branch of human endeavor or proficiency

the law

g

—used as a function word in prepositional phrases to indicate that the noun in the phrase serves as a basis for computation

sold by the dozen

h

—used as a function word before a proper name (as of a ship or a well-known building)

the Mayflower

i

—used as a function word before a proper name to indicate the distinctive characteristics of a person or thing

the John Doe that we know wouldn't lie

j

—used as a function word before the plural form of a surname to indicate all the members of a family

the Johnsons

k

—used as a function word before the plural form of a numeral that is a multiple of ten to denote a particular decade of a century or of a person's life

life in the twenties

l

—used as a function word before the name of a commodity or any familiar appurtenance of daily life to indicate reference to the individual thing, part, or supply thought of as at hand

talked on the telephone

m

—used as a function word to designate one of a class as the best, most typical, best known, or most worth singling out

this is the life

the pill

—sometimes used before a personal name to denote the most prominent bearer of that name

2

a(1)

—used as a function word with a noun modified by an adjective or by an attributive noun to limit the application of the modified noun to that specified by the adjective or by the attributive noun

the right answer

Peter the Great

(2)

—used as a function word before an absolute adjective or an ordinal number

nothing but the best

due on the first

b(1)

—used as a function word before a noun to limit its application to that specified by a succeeding element in the sentence

the poet Wordsworth

the days of our youth

didn't have the time to write

(2)

—used as a function word after a person's name to indicate a characteristic trait or notorious activity specified by the succeeding noun

Jack the Ripper

3

a

—used as a function word before a singular noun to indicate that the noun is to be understood generically

the dog is a domestic animal

b

—used as a function word before a singular substantivized adjective to indicate an abstract idea

an essay on the sublime

4

—used as a function word before a noun or a substantivized adjective to indicate reference to a group as a whole

the elite

the

2 of 4

adverb

1

: than before : than otherwise

—used before a comparative

none the wiser for attending

2

a

: to what extent

the sooner the better

b

: to that extent

the sooner the better

3

: beyond all others

likes this the best

the

3 of 4

preposition

: per sense 2

a dollar the dozen

the-

4 of 4

combining form

variants or theo-

: god : God

theism

theocentric

Word History

Etymology

Definite article and Preposition

Middle English, from Old English thē, masculine demonstrative pronoun & definite article, alteration (influenced by oblique cases — as thæs, genitive — & neuter, thæt) of sē; akin to Greek ho, masculine demonstrative pronoun & definite article — more at that

Adverb

Middle English, from Old English thȳ by that, instrumental of thæt that

Combining form

Middle English theo-, from Latin, from Greek the-, theo-, from theos

First Known Use

Definite Article

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

the

1 of 2 definite article

t͟hə 

 (especially before consonant sounds and sometimes vowel sounds in Southern speech),  t͟hē,

 (before vowel sounds); 1e is often  ˈt͟hē

1

a

—used to indicate that a following noun or term functioning as a noun has been already made known by context or by circumstance

put the cat out

b

—used to indicate that a following noun or term functioning as a noun is a unique or a particular member of its class

the President

the sun

c

—used before nouns that designate natural phenomena or points of the compass

the night is cold

wind came from the east

d

—used before a noun denoting time to indicate reference to what is present or immediate or is under consideration

in the future

e

—used before names of some parts of the body or of the clothing as an equivalent of a possessive adjective

how's the arm today

grabbed me by the collar

f

—used before the name of a branch of human activity

the law

g

—used in prepositional phrases to indicate that the noun in the phrase serves as a basis for calculation

sold by the dozen

h

—used before a proper name (as of a ship or a well-known building)

the Mayflower

i

—used before a proper name to indicate the distinctive characteristics of a person or thing

the John Doe that we know wouldn't lie

j

—used before the plural form of a surname to indicate all the members of a family

the Johnsons

k

—used before the plural form of a numeral that is a multiple of ten to denote a particular decade of a century or of a person's life

life in the twenties

l

—used before the name of something used in daily life to indicate reference to the individual thing, part, or supply thought of as at hand

talked on the telephone

m

—used to designate one of a class as the best, most typical, best known, or most worth singling out

this is the life

was the player in today's game

2

a

—used with a modified noun to limit the application of the noun to that specified by the modifier

the right answer

Peter the Great

b

—used before an absolute adjective or an ordinal number

nothing but the best

payment is due on the first

c

—used before a noun to limit its application to that specified by a following element in the sentence

the poet Wordsworth

didn't have the time to write

d

—used after a person's name to indicate a characteristic trait or notorious activity specified by the following noun

Jack the Ripper

3

a

—used before a singular noun to indicate that the noun is to be understood as representative of a whole class

good advice for the beginner

b

—used before an adjective functioning as a noun to indicate an abstract idea

an essay on the sublime

4

—used before a noun or an adjective functioning as a noun to indicate reference to a group as a whole

the rich

the homeless

the

2 of 2 adverb

1

: than before : than otherwise

none the wiser for attending

2

a

: to what extent

the sooner the better

b

: to that extent

the sooner the better