Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

deed

/diːd/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.75 in modern English

Syllables
deed
IPA
/diːd/
6
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
2
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An action or act; something that is done.

noun

A brave or noteworthy action; a feat or exploit.

verb

To transfer real property by deed.

Informal

name

A surname.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English dede, from Old English dēd, dǣd (“deed, act”), from Proto-West Germanic *dādi, from Proto-Germanic *dēdiz (“deed”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁tis (“deed, action”). Analyzable through Proto-Germanic as do + -th. Doublet of thesis. The real estate sense derives from the fact that property deeds are traditionally used to demonstrate proof of ownership of a legal title in common law jurisdictions, such as England & Wales and most of the United States. Cognates Cognate with West Frisian died, Dutch daad (“deed, act”), German Low German Daad, German Tat (“deed, action”), Swedish, Norwegian and Danish dåd (“act, action”). The Proto-Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek θέσις (thésis, “setting, arrangement”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

Usage

Inflected Forms

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Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce deed?
The recorded pronunciation is /diːd/.
What does deed mean?
An action or act; something that is done.
Where does deed come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce deed

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “deed”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/diːd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “deed”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “deed” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.