tithe
/taɪð/noun, verb
tithe is spelled T-I-T-H-E: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,636th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, tithe means “The tenth part of the increase arising from the profits of land and stock, allotted to the clergy for their support, as in England, or devoted to…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of tithe is tithes.
How many letters and syllables are in tithe?
| Letters | 5: T-I-T-H-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 33,636th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is tithe?
Tithe appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,636th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce tithe?
- /taɪð/
Tithe has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-tithe.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of tithe
- tithes plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- tithing participle, present
- tithed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does tithe mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
archaicA tenth.
- 2
The tenth part of the increase arising from the profits of land and stock, allotted to the clergy for their support, as in England, or devoted to religious or charitable uses; a tax taking ten percent of land or stock profits, used for religious or charitable purposes.
- 3
A contribution to one's religious community or congregation of worship (notably to the LDS church).
- 4
A small part or proportion.
verb
- 1
To pay something as a tithe.
He teoðode gynd eall his cyne rice ðone teoðan del ealra his landa.
- 2
To pay a tithe upon something.
...ge tiogoðiað eowre mintan & eowerne dile & eowerne kymen.
- 3
To pay a tithe; to pay a 10% tax
Þe prest þe meneȝeð rihtliche teðien.
- 4
To pay or offer as a levy in the manner of a tithe or religious tax.
These slaves are either the sonnes of Christians, tithed in their childhoods, Captives taken in the warres, or Renegadoes.
- 5
To take one-tenth or a tithe of something, particularly
- 6
To impose a tithe upon someone or something.
Leeuy, that took tithis, is tithid.
- 7
To spare only every tenth person, killing the rest (usually in relation to the sacking of the episcopal seat at Canterbury by the pagan Danes in 1011).
- 8
To enforce or collect a tithe upon someone or something.
The Monkes the Priors and holy cloystred Nunnes, Are all in health,...
adjective
- 1
archaicTenth.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Tithe in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does tithe come from?
From Middle English tithe, tythe, tethe, from Old English tēoþa, tēoða, teogoþa (in verb senses via Middle English tithen, tythen, tethen, from Old English tēoþian, teogoþian), from a proposed Proto-Germanic *tehunþô, *tehundô (“a tenth”), with its nasal consonant being lost according to the Ingvaeonic nasal spirant law. Cognate with West Frisian tsiende (“tithe”), Saterland Frisian Teeged (“tithe”), Dutch tiende, German Low German Teihnte, German Zehnt (“tithe”), Danish tiende (“tithe”), Icelandic tíund (“tithe”), Dutch tiende (“tithe”). Doublet of tenth.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).