William Edward Thrift (28 February 1870 – 23 April 1942) was an Irish academic and politician who served as the 37th Provost of Trinity College Dublin and a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin University constituency from 1921 to 1937.

[1] Thrift was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire in 1870, but grew up in Carlow.

He served as Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin from 1901 to 1929.

He was appointed Provost of Trinity College Dublin in 1937, serving until he died in 1942.

[3] He was re-elected for the same constituency at the 1922 general election and became a member of the Third Dáil.