The term 'thrift-shop' is a modern compound, emerging in the 20th century. Its first element, 'thrift', has a journey from Old Norse 'þrift', meaning prosperity or condition of thriving, which entered English and evolved to signify frugality and careful management of resources. The second element, 'shop', originates from Old English, denoting a place where goods are sold. The compound logic is transparent: a 'thrift shop' is a store aligned with the principle of thrift, where second-hand items are sold cheaply, promoting economical reuse rather than new purchase. This reflects a societal shift where the virtue of personal frugality ('thrift') was institutionalized into charitable retail models.

Structure: thrift (sense) + shop (sense) - thrift: From Middle English 'thrift', from Old Norse 'þrift', meaning prosperity or savings. It is a noun derived from the verb 'thrive'. In this compound, it carries the sense of economical management or careful use of money. - shop: From Middle English 'shoppe', from Old English 'sceoppa' (booth, stall), of Germanic origin. It functions as the head noun, denoting the place of business.