Learn English – Is “teh” an English word

is-it-a-wordmeaning

I remember being told that "teh" (a common misspelling of "the") is actually a proper (though very old and no longer in common usage) English word.

Teh was used as an example that if every single English word was included in a spell-checker it would decrease (the spell-checker's) utility (very few people know or use "teh", it's auto-corrected to "the").

I've checked both on-line and paper dictionaries and can't find it, can anyone confirm that it is an English word and what it's meaning is?

Best Answer

OED has five entries for teh, which I won't reproduce in full because of copyright issues.

te, n.2, also Te, teh, tih.
a. In Taoism, the essence of Tao inherent in all beings.
b. In Confucianism and in extended use, moral virtue.

tee, v.1 (Obs.)
2. fig. To draw, lead, entice, allure; to bring into some condition. Const. to.
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 139 And teh folc to him to heren his wise word.

thee, pron. and n.2
β. OE–ME te (chiefly after d, t), lME de; Eng. regional (chiefly north.) 18– ta, 18– te, 18– tee, 19– t', 19– teh, 19– tey; Sc. 18 die (Shetland), 18 t’ee, 18– dee (Shetland and Orkney), 19– de (Orkney).

thou, pron. and n.1
β. OE (rare)–ME tu, ... 18 teh (north.), ...

thy, adj.
β. ME di, ... Eng. regional 18 te, 18 teh, 18 tey ...

All except the first are regional and largely obsolete. But it does have a current use in Chinese philosophy, where it can be variously rendered (according to the OED citations) tĭh, Teh, teh, tê, te, Tê.