the

[ stressed th ee; unstressed before a consonant th uh; unstressed before a vowel th ee ]

/ stressed ði; unstressed before a consonant ðə; unstressed before a vowel ði /

definite article

(used, especially before a noun, with a specifying or particularizing effect, as opposed to the indefinite or generalizing force of the indefinite article a or an): the book you gave me; Come into the house.

(used to mark a proper noun, natural phenomenon, ship, building, time, point of the compass, branch of endeavor, or field of study as something well-known or unique): the sun; the Alps; the Queen Elizabeth; the past; the West.

(used with or as part of a title): the Duke of Wellington; the Reverend John Smith.

(used to mark a noun as indicating the best-known, most approved, most important, most satisfying, etc.): the skiing center of the U.S.; If you're going to work hard, now is the time.

(used to mark a noun as being used generically): The dog is a quadruped.

(used in place of a possessive pronoun, to note a part of the body or a personal belonging): He won't be able to play football until the leg mends.

(used before adjectives that are used substantively, to note an individual, a class or number of individuals, or an abstract idea): to visit the sick; from the sublime to the ridiculous.

(used before a modifying adjective to specify or limit its modifying effect): He took the wrong road and drove miles out of his way.

(used to indicate one particular decade of a lifetime or of a century): the sixties; the Gay Nineties.

(one of many of a class or type, as of a manufactured item, as opposed to an individual one): Did you listen to the radio last night?

enough: He saved until he had the money for a new car. She didn't have the courage to leave.

(used distributively, to note any one separately) for, to, or in each; a or an: at one dollar the pound.

Origin of the

before 900; Middle English, Old English, uninflected stem of the demonstrative pronoun. See that

pronunciation note for the

As shown above, the pronunciation of the definite article the changes, primarily depending on whether the following sound is a consonant or a vowel. Before a consonant sound the pronunciation is

[th uh] /ðə/: the book, the mountain

[th uh-book, th uh-moun-tn] /ðə bɒɒk, ðəˈmaʊn tn/. Before a vowel sound it is usually

[th ee] /ði/, sometimes

[th i] /ðɪ/: the apple, the end

[th ee or th i-ap-uh l, th ee or th i-end] /ði or ðɪˈæp əl, ði or ðɪ ɛnd/. As an emphatic form (“I didn't say a book—I said the book.”) or a citation form (“The word the is a definite article.”), the usual pronunciation is

[th ee] /ði/, although in both of these uses of the stressed form,

[th ee] /ði/ is often replaced by

[th uh] /ðʌ/, especially among younger speakers.

Words nearby the

thayer, thaïs, thb, thc, thd, the, the american crisis, the bad workman always blames his tools, the barber of seville, the beauty of, the best of friends must part

Definition for the (2 of 3)

the ²

[ before a consonant th uh; before a vowel th ee ]

/ before a consonant ðə; before a vowel ði /

adverb

(used to modify an adjective or adverb in the comparative degree and to signify “in or by that,” “on that account,” “in or by so much,” or “in some or any degree”): He's been on vacation and looks the better for it.

(used in correlative constructions to modify an adjective or adverb in the comparative degree, in one instance with relative force and in the other with demonstrative force, and signifying “by how much … by so much” or “in what degree … in that degree”): the more the merrier; The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Origin of the

before 900; Middle English; Old English thē, thȳ, instrumental case of demonstrative pronoun. See that, lest

Definition for the (3 of 3)

the-

variant of theo- before a vowel: thearchy.

British Dictionary definitions for the (1 of 3)

the ¹

/ (stressed or emphatic ðiː, unstressed before a consonant ðə, unstressed before a vowel ðɪ) /

determiner (article)

used preceding a noun that has been previously specified the pain should disappear soon; the man then opened the door Compare a 1

used with a qualifying word or phrase to indicate a particular person, object, etc, as distinct from others ask the man standing outside; give me the blue one Compare a 1

used preceding certain nouns associated with one's culture, society, or community to go to the doctor; listen to the news; watch the television

used preceding present participles and adjectives when they function as nouns the singing is awful; the dead salute you

used preceding titles and certain uniquely specific or proper nouns, such as place names the United States; the Honourable Edward Brown; the Chairman; the moon

used preceding a qualifying adjective or noun in certain names or titles William the Conqueror; Edward the First

used preceding a noun to make it refer to its class generically the white seal is hunted for its fur; this is good for the throat; to play the piano

used instead of my, your, her, etc, with parts of the body take me by the hand

(usually stressed) the best, only, or most remarkable Harry's is the club in this town

used with proper nouns when qualified written by the young Hardy

another word for per, esp with nouns or noun phrases of cost fifty pence the pound

often facetious, or derogatory my; our the wife goes out on Thursdays

used preceding a unit of time in phrases or titles indicating an outstanding person, event, etc match of the day; player of the year

Word Origin for the

Middle English, from Old English thē, a demonstrative adjective that later superseded sē (masculine singular) and sēo, sio (feminine singular); related to Old Frisian thi, thiu, Old High German der, diu

British Dictionary definitions for the (2 of 3)

the ²

/ (ðə, ðɪ) /

adverb

(often foll by for) used before comparative adjectives or adverbs for emphasis she looks the happier for her trip

used correlatively before each of two comparative adjectives or adverbs to indicate equality the sooner you come, the better; the more I see you, the more I love you

Word Origin for the

Old English thī, thӯ, instrumental case of the 1 and that; related to Old Norse thī, Gothic thei

British Dictionary definitions for the (3 of 3)

the-

combining form

a variant of theo-

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

the

definite article

Origin of the

pronunciation note for the

Words nearby the

Definition for the (2 of 3)

adverb

Origin of the

Definition for the (3 of 3)

British Dictionary definitions for the (1 of 3)

determiner (article)

Word Origin for the

British Dictionary definitions for the (2 of 3)

adverb

Word Origin for the

British Dictionary definitions for the (3 of 3)

combining form

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

the

definite article

Origin of the

pronunciation note for the

Words nearby the

Definition for the (2 of 3)

adverb

Origin of the

Definition for the (3 of 3)

Content related to the

Words related to the

British Dictionary definitions for the (1 of 3)

determiner (article)

Word Origin for the

British Dictionary definitions for the (2 of 3)

adverb

Word Origin for the

British Dictionary definitions for the (3 of 3)

combining form