Thank You Note: Meaning, Examples & How to Write

Meaning 1：note of thanks (thank you note)

thank you note 🔊

/θæŋk juː noʊt/

A short written message to express your thanks for a gift, kindness, or hospitality.

Thank you note handwritten card with gift box and pen on table

note of thanks 🔊

➕

/ˈnoʊt əv θæŋks/

A brief handwritten or printed message sent to someone to express gratitude for a gift, invitation, or act of kindness.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

'Thank' from OE 'þanc' (gratitude), 'you', and 'note' from Latin 'nota' (mark/message).

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'Thank You' + 'Note' = a note of thanks. Remember T-Y-Note.

📖 Example

After her job interview, she sent a handwritten thank you note to the interviewer to show her appreciation. 🔊 After her job interview, she sent a handwritten thank you note to the interviewer to show her appreciation.

🔗 Collocations

write a thank you note – compose a written expression of thanks

send a thank you note – dispatch a written message of gratitude

handwritten thank you note – a note of thanks written by hand

🔄 Synonyms

thank-you card (n.) – A pre-printed card used to express gratitude, often with space for a personal message.

bread-and-butter letter (n.) – A letter of thanks sent to a host after staying as a guest.

letter of thanks (n.) – A formal written message expressing gratitude.

🚫 Antonyms

complaint letter (n.) – A written message expressing dissatisfaction or grievance.

demand letter (n.) – A formal letter requesting something or asserting a right, often without gratitude.

insult letter (n.) – A written message intended to offend or belittle the recipient.

📖 Cultural Story

Writing thank-you notes became widely practiced in 18th-century Europe following the works of Samuel Richardson on letter-writing etiquette. It remains a hallmark of politeness in Western culture.