thigh
Americannoun
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thighs
plural
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the part of the lower limb in humans between the hip and the knee.
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the corresponding part of the hind limb of other animals; the femoral region.
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(in birds)
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the true femoral region that is hidden by the skin or feathers of the body.
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the segment below, containing the fibula and tibia.
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Entomology. the femur.
noun
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the part of the leg between the hip and the knee in man
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the corresponding part in other vertebrates and insects
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of thigh
before 900; Middle English thi, thigh ( e ), the ( h ), Old English thīoh, thēoh; cognate with Dutch dij, Old High German dioh, Old Norse thjō
Explanation
Your thigh is the part of your leg between your hip and your knee. Your thighs are probably the strongest parts of your body. Humans' thighs have just one extremely strong bone, the femur, and many muscles, including the hamstrings and quadriceps. Your thigh is joined to your torsos with a ball-and-socket hip joint, and to your lower leg by the hinge joint of a knee. The word thigh comes from a Germanic source that means "the thick or fat part of the leg."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The study found that people taking the drug lost about two-thirds to three-quarters less thigh muscle than those taking semaglutide alone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Among patients 66 and older, demand for breast augmentations, tummy tucks, arm lifts, thigh lifts and facelifts all increased by double digits.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 5, 2026
Research suggests strength exercises targeting the quadriceps, a group of muscles at the front of the thigh, are particularly effective at reducing joint pain.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
“I got all the practice pants, the helmets, the thigh boards, everything,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Alma sat cross-legged on the floor and patted her thigh to get Freebie’s attention.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
For chicken soup, I roast thighs on a bed of onion, garlic, carrot and celery with big lemon slices, garlic powder, onion powder and plenty of black pepper.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
His squat thighs keep his legs bent for more of the pedal stroke, another wind-resistance advantage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
At the gym, she spends 10 minutes on a stair-climbing machine then 35 minutes using weights and machines to strengthen the thighs, hips and lower back.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
These can include bright orange flashes or bold white and black patterns on the thighs and lower back.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
She thought a long time and kept hitting her thighs with her fists.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
