Meaning and usage of the word thy in English

The word "thy" is an archaic form of the pronoun "your" in the possessive case. It is derived from the Old English word "ge" (meaning "you" or "your"), which was preceded by the particle "þe" (meaning "the"). In Middle English, this pronoun became contracted to "thy", as in "thy word" or "thyn hand". The use of "thy" became less common in standard English during the 17th and 18th centuries, as a result of the influence of classical Greek and Latin models. Instead, more formal forms such as "your" or "yourself" were preferred. Today, "thy" is largely confined to literary or poetic contexts, where its use is often intended to evoke a sense of archaic or literary charm.