Type Thorn Letter (Þ, þ) – Thorn Symbol, Þ Letter, Shortcut

The thorn letter — written as Þ (capital) and þ (lowercase) — is a special character from ancient alphabets that still survives in modern languages. Often called the thorn character, thorn symbol, or simply the þ letter, it represents the “th” sound in words like this and thing.

If you’ve ever seen þ in old texts or Icelandic words and wondered what it is, how to pronounce it, or how to type it on your keyboard, this guide covers everything including thorn letter copy paste, Unicode, mobile typing, and its history in Old English.

What Is the Thorn Letter?

The thorn letter is a consonant that originated from the runic alphabet, where it was known as the thorn rune (ᚦ). It was later adopted into the Latin alphabet to represent the “th” sound.

• Capital thorn letter: Þ
• Lowercase thorn letter: þ

It was widely used in Old English, Middle English, and is still used today in Icelandic.

Similar special Latin letters include characters like O with macron (Ō, ō), which also use a line mark to change pronunciation.

Thorn Letter Language of Origin

The letter thorn comes from:

• Proto-Germanic runes → the thorn rune (ᚦ)
• Adopted into Old English
• Still used in modern Icelandic

So when people ask about the thorn letter language of origin, the answer is:
Germanic runes → Old English → Icelandic.

Thorn Letter in Old English and “Ye”

In Old English, thorn was used for both soft and hard “th” sounds:

• þæt = that
• þe = the

You may have seen “Ye olde” in old shop signs. That “Y” is actually a misreading of þ. Early printers didn’t have the thorn symbol, so they replaced it with Y, making:

• þe → ye

So thorn letter ye is not really a Y — it’s a thorn!

Thorn Letter in Icelandic

In modern Icelandic, thorn is still a regular letter:

• It represents the voiceless “th” sound, like in think.
• Example words:
  • þing (parliament)
  • þetta (this)

That’s why people search for thorn letter Icelandic — it’s one of the few living uses today.

Thorn Letter Pronunciation

The letter thorn pronunciation depends on the word, but generally:

• þ = “th” as in thin
• (While another letter, eth ð, is used for “th” as in this)

So if you’re asking:

• How to pronounce thorn letter?
  Say it like “th” in think.

Thorn Symbol

Use the Thorn characters below to copy and paste them into any document, email, social media post, or text field.
Capital Thorn: Þ
Lowercase Thorn: þ

How to Type the Thorn Letter on Windows (Alt Codes)

Because universal English keyboards lack a dedicated mechanical key mapping for this character, the Windows desktop interface provides direct numeric overrides via structural Alt sequences.

1. Ensure your keyboard’s right-hand side Num Lock parameter is actively toggled on.
2. Press and maintain a steady hold on the physical Alt key.
3. While holding the key, input the specific character sequence on your numeric pad:
   • For the uppercase Þ layout: Input 0222
   • For the lowercase þ layout: Input 0254
4. Release the Alt key to instantly output the finished glyph onto your active workspace screen.

How to Type the Thorn Character on a Mac Keyboard

Apple macOS systems offer two distinct input management pathways depending on whether you are executing an occasional manual insertion or writing continuous Icelandic script layout strings.

The macOS Character Viewer Panel

1. Press Control + Command + Space to open Character Viewer.
2. Search for “thorn.”
3. Double-click þ or Þ to insert.

With Icelandic keyboard layout:

• þ → press the thorn key
• Þ → Shift + þ

(You can add Icelandic layout in System Settings → Keyboard.)

How to Type Thorn Symbol on iPhone and Android

Most default keyboards don’t show thorn unless you add an Icelandic layout.

1. Open your keyboard.
2. Tap the emoji/symbol icon.
3. Search for thorn if available, or
4. Copy-paste þ Þ from a website like this one.

Some third-party keyboards support extended Latin characters.

How to Insert Thorn Symbol in Microsoft Word

Using Alt codes:

• þ → Alt + 0254
• Þ → Alt + 0222

Using Symbol menu:

1. Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols
2. Choose Latin-1 Supplement
3. Select þ or Þ, then click Insert

How to Type Thorn Letter in Google Docs

1. Click Insert → Special characters
2. Search for thorn or type þ
3. Click the symbol to insert it

Google Docs will show both uppercase and lowercase forms.

Unicode and HTML Code for Thorn Character

If you’re working with websites or code, use these values.

Thorn vs Eth (Þ vs Ð) — What’s the Difference?

People often confuse thorn (Þ) with eth (Ð) because both represent “th” sounds.

In Icelandic:

• þ = think
• ð = this

In Old English, both were used, but thorn was more common.

The thorn letter (Þ, þ) is a powerful reminder of how languages evolve. Once a core part of English, it now lives on mainly in Icelandic and historical texts. Even today, you’ll spot it in old manuscripts, fantasy writing, and academic works.

For more copy-paste and typing guides, explore our articles on accented letters like Y with accent ,A with accent, and U with two dots.