thug

[thuhg]

noun

1. a violent, lawless, or vicious person, especially one who commits a crime such as assault, robbery, or murder.

   It wasn't uncommon for hired thugs to intimidate shop owners until they paid up.

2. (sometimes initial capital letter),  one of a former group of professional robbers and murderers in India who strangled their victims.

thug

/ θʌɡ /

noun

1. a tough and violent man, esp a criminal

2. (sometimes capital) (formerly) a member of an organization of robbers and assassins in India who typically strangled their victims

Usage

The word thug has had racial and cultural overtones since its adoption into the English language. It entered English during the British colonial period to describe a particular gang of criminals in India, but from the beginning, the otherness of the Indian robbers was intrinsic to the narrative about British colonial victims. In American English, the word is disproportionately applied to nonwhite perpetrators of violence or crime. White teens disturbing the peace at a party with loud music are more likely to be called troublemakers or hooligans. Their Black peers are more likely to be labeled thugs for the same offense. And following this common racialized usage, thug is used by some and interpreted by many as a code word for Black. In extreme cases, thug is chosen as a dog whistle to imply that Black people are generally prone to violence or criminality. However, there is also a reclaimed sense of thug within the Black community, and particularly in the hip-hop community, one that acknowledges the violence implicit in the label while also celebrating toughness and street smarts. Because thug has many implied connotations that may change depending on who is using the word and who is being described by it, it’s important to critically consider the context and tone around each particular instance of its use to truly understand what is being communicated.

Other Word Forms

• thuggery noun
• thuggish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of thug¹

First recorded in 1800–10; from Hindi, Marathi ṭhag “swindler, cheat, rogue,” perhaps from Sanskrit sthaga- “a cheat,” from sthagati “he conceals”

Word History and Origins

Origin of thug¹

C19: from Hindi thag thief, from Sanskrit sthaga scoundrel, from sthagati to conceal

Example Sentences

Leeds councillor Ali said on social media he was wearing Islamic clothing on his way through Earl's Court Station in West Lodon, on Wednesday, when a "racist thug" threatened to "smash my head in".

Read more on BBC

"It was a violent riot driven by thugs intent on violence, and it wasn't just an attack on Gardai, it was an attack on community safety, and we won't tolerate that."

Read more on BBC

"They began organising traffic and clearing the markets, removing the street vendors who were blocking the roads. We felt protected from thugs and thieves."

Read more on Barron's

“To every terrorist thug smuggling poisonous drugs into the United States of America, please be warned that we will blow you out of existence,” he said in his address to the United Nations.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The prime minister understands that, in the modern world, deploying soldiers to cities and having masked thugs abduct people off the streets is not a good look.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• assassin 
• bandit 
• bully 
• criminal 
• gangster 
• goon 
• gunman 
• hooligan 
• mobster 
• murderer 
• rowdy 
• troublemaker 

When To Use

What does thug mean?

Thug is a term for a violent, lawless person, especially a man.The word was originally used in the 1800s as a name for members of a group of men in India said to be professional criminals and murderers. In this use, it is sometimes capitalized.Since then, thug has come to have a more general meaning similar to its more old-fashioned synonym ruffian. The act of behaving as a thug is known as thuggery. The adjective form of thug is thuggish. In this sense, thug often refers to someone who acts as a bully or is a professional and violent criminal, as in The mafia sent hired thugs to intimidate store owners.However, in the U.S., the word thug has a history of being used by racist white people who specifically apply it to African American men to portray them as violent criminals. When used in this way, it is often thought to function as a substitute for a racist slur.For this reason, some African Americans have reclaimed the word as a positive identifier. It is especially used in hip-hop, particularly in the phrase thug life.