The temperature dependence of the subthreshold cut-rent is investigated for both amorphous and polycrystalline silicon thin-film-transistors (poly-Si TFTs). The poly-Si devices are issued from various fabrication processes and present, therefore, different active layer crystalline quality. They belong to three categories: (i) furnace thermal annealed non-hydrogenated; (ii) thermal annealed hydrogenated; and (iii) excimer laser annealed polysilicon active layer TFTs. Temperature measurements of the subthreshold current are performed in the linear mode for temperatures varying from 20 to 120 degreesC. This current is thermally activated. Moreover, except for laser crystallised active layer devices, TFTs exhibit a Meyer-Neldel behaviour related to the quality of the active layer. For amorphous devices the Meyer-Neldel characteristic energy (E-MN) value equals 0.051 eV. For polysilicon structures Em, increases from 0.041 to 0.063 eV when the deposition pressure increases from 10 to 90 Pa, and is reduced after hydrogen passivation (0.038 against 0.064 eV). Our experimental study suggests that the Meyer-Neldel behaviour is related both to the spatial distribution of defects in the active layer and to the density of bandgap states, in particular to the band tail state concentration.