doeth: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareArchaic, Literary, Biblical, Poetic
Quick answer
What does “doeth” mean?
Third-person singular present tense of the verb 'do' (archaic).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Third-person singular present tense of the verb 'do' (archaic).
Used in Early Modern and archaic English to mean 'does' (perform, execute, act). May carry a sense of moral or divine action in religious/poetic contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No contemporary geographical difference. Both regions encounter it only in historical or stylized texts (e.g., the King James Bible, Shakespeare).
Connotations
Connotes antiquity, formality, religious scripture, or theatricality.
Frequency
Effectively zero in modern spoken or written English outside of deliberate archaism.
Grammar
How to Use “doeth” in a Sentence
Subject + doeth + Object (He doeth great wonders.)Subject + doeth + Adverbial (He doeth well.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “doeth” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He doeth all things after the counsel of his own will.
- What doeth the Lord require of thee?
American English
- The king doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
- He that doeth truth cometh to the light.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Only in historical linguistics or literary analysis of Early Modern English texts.
Everyday
Never used; would sound bizarre or humorous.
Technical
Not applicable.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “doeth”
- Using 'doeth' in modern speech or writing unironically.
- Confusing it with 'doth' (an archaic form of 'does' used with different subjects or in different time periods).
- Incorrectly conjugating it (e.g., 'I doeth', 'they doeth').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic form. Its only modern use is in quoting old texts (like the Bible) or for deliberate stylistic effect to sound old-fashioned.
Both are archaic third-person singular present forms of 'do'. 'Doeth' is common in 16th-17th century English (e.g., King James Bible). 'Doth' is also used in the same period and is perhaps more frequent in some authors like Shakespeare. They are synonyms.
No. As a learner of modern English, you should only learn to recognize it. Actively using it would be a significant error. Learn and use 'does' instead.
Absolutely not. 'Doeth' (like 'does') is strictly for the third-person singular (he, she, it). Using it with 'they' would be a double error: wrong subject-verb agreement and anachronistic.
Third-person singular present tense of the verb 'do' (archaic).
Doeth is usually archaic, literary, biblical, poetic in register.
Doeth: in British English it is pronounced /ˈduːɪθ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈduɪθ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “What doeth it profit a man?”
- “As the Lord doeth will.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'doeth' as 'DOES' with a lisp of antiquity: 'do-ith'. It's the 'eth' ending that marks it as old.
Conceptual Metaphor
MORAL ACTION IS DIVINE EXECUTION (common in biblical use, e.g., 'The Lord doeth all things well').
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'doeth' be most appropriately used today?