You can also dethaw in your sink and run cold water over it. Make sure to change out your water, however. NO WARM WATER!

My fridge is cold, so I am giving my 16 pounder 4 days.

I[m joining the long slow, in the refrigerator chorus on this. I mean there's still 12 days until you have to start seriously cooking. And yes, "thaw" would be the correct usage."Dethaw" or "unthaw" would suggest the opposite.

How boring is your life, pikawicca? I've never seen you contribute anything but worthless snark around here.

You can also quick-thaw a turkey by submerging (unwrapped) it in a large, clean bucket of water and changing the water every 30 minutes. Allow 30 minutes per pound. I find this to be a pain in the butt, though.

Three days typically.

How long does it take to realize there's no such word as "dethaw?"

In the refrigerator (which is what is recommended) about 24 hours per 5 pounds of bird--but don't leave it more than 5 days. (You can take out the giblets etc. as they thaw to expedite the thawing.)