An informal spelling of 'through,' indicating movement from one side to another or completion of a process.
Simplified spelling of 'through,' which comes from Old English 'thurh.' The 'thru' variant emerged in American English in the early 20th century as part of spelling reform movements.
The 'thru' spelling represents one of the few successful American spelling simplifications, widely adopted in drive-thru businesses and informal writing. It demonstrates how commercial usage can drive linguistic change more effectively than academic reform.
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