thoughtful

English

Etymology

From Middle English thoȝtful, thohtful, equivalent to thought +‎ -ful. Compare Dutch gedachtenvol.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθɔːtfʊl/, /ˈθɔːtfəl/
• enPR: thôt’fəl, IPA^(key): /ˈθɔtfəl/
• enPR: thät’fəl, IPA^(key): /ˈθɑtfəl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

thoughtful (comparative more thoughtful, superlative most thoughtful)

1. Demonstrating thought or careful consideration.

   Most thoughtful people eventually solve the puzzle.

   • 1859, Edward Fitzgerald, The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: The Astronomer-Poet of Persia, page 2:

     Now the New Year reviving old Desires,
     The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires,
     Where the White Hand of Moses on the Bough
     Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires.

   • 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:

     But Richmond, his grandfather's darling, after one thoughtful glance cast under his lashes at that uncompromising countenance appeared to lose himself in his own reflections.

   Synonyms: thoughty, carefully, detail oriented

2. Demonstrating kindness or consideration for others.

   Preparing dinner is a thoughtful gesture for a new mother.

   Synonyms: thoughty, considerate, attentive, caring

Antonyms

• thoughtless

Derived terms

• thoughtfully
• thoughtfulness

Translations

demonstrating thought or careful consideration

• Arabic: عَمِيق اَلتَّفْكِير (ʕamīq at-tafkīr)
• Bulgarian: замислен (bg) (zamislen)
• Catalan: pensarós
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 周到 (zh) (zhōudào)

• Dutch: voorkomend (nl)
• Esperanto: pripensema
• Finnish: ajatteleva (fi), ajattelukykyinen; harkittu (fi)
• French: réfléchi (fr)
• German: nachdenklich (de), bedächtig (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: σκεπτικός (skeptikós)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Irish: cásmhar, cuimhneach
• Italian: pensieroso (it), pensoso (it), meditabondo (it), cogitabondo (it)
• Latin: memor, cōgitābundus
• Maori: whaiwhakaaro
• Middle English: sad
• Polish: rozważny (pl)
• Portuguese: bem pensado, meticuloso (pt)
• Romanian: cugetat
• Russian: вду́мчивый (ru) (vdúmčivyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: cùramach
• Slovak: vnímavý (sk), pozorný m
• Spanish: detallista (es), minucioso (es), meticuloso (es)
• Swedish: eftertänksam (sv)

demonstrating kindness or consideration

• Azerbaijani: qayğıkeş
• Bulgarian: внимателен (bg) (vnimatelen)
• Catalan: atent (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 体贴 (zh) (tǐtiē)

• Dutch: voorkomend (nl)
• Finnish: ajattelevainen, huomaavainen (fi)
• French: attentionné (fr)
• German: aufmerksam (de)
• Irish: cásmhar
• Italian: premuroso (it)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Maori: ngākau mahara
• Old English: besċēawod
• Polish: troskliwy (pl)
• Portuguese: atencioso (pt)
• Romanian: grijuliu (ro)
• Russian: забо́тливый (ru) (zabótlivyj), чу́ткий (ru) (čútkij), внима́тельный (ru) (vnimátelʹnyj) (к други́м)
• Scottish Gaelic: cùramach
• Slovak: pozorný (voči druhým) m
• Spanish: detallista (es), cortés (es), atento (es)
• Swedish: omtänksam (sv)
• Turkish: düşünceli (tr), ince (tr), nazik (tr)