thingamajig

American  

[thing-uh-muh-jig] / ˈθɪŋ ə məˌdʒɪg /

Or thingumajig

noun

Informal.

1. a gadget or other thing for which the speaker does not know or has forgotten the name.

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Usage

What does thingamajig mean? Thingamajig is a very informal word for an object whose name you don’t know, have forgotten, or can’t recall at the moment.It’s often used to refer to gadgets or parts of things that might not even have a commonly known name, as in Before we attach the bracket, we have to insert this thingamajig here. Thingamajig is sometimes used even if you know the name of the thing you’re referring to. It can be used to be dismissive or to downplay the importance or value of an object, such as when someone is admiring it, as in What, these old thingamajigs? I’ve got a whole boxful of ’em. Take as many as you want. Less commonly, it can be spelled thingumajig. There are several other similarly informal words that are used in the same way, including thingamabob, thingy, whachamacallit, whatsit, doohickey, and doodad.Example: My kids got me one of those thingamajigs that track your steps. What’s it called? A stepometer?

Etymology

Origin of thingamajig

First recorded in 1870–75; thingum or thingummy + jig ¹, metrically patterned like gobbledygook, rigamarole; thingum perhaps originally from the gradational compound thingum-thangum (based on thing ¹ ) with the same terminal syllable as in crinkum-crankum, harum-scarum, trinkum-trankum, perhaps dog Latin or a facetious alteration of trinkets ( def. )

Example Sentences

Honestly, who knows, it’s just the necessary thingamajig over which the primary players can fight over for two hours.

From Los Angeles Times

They call the thingamajig “The Handle,” and I swear Guy Ritchie is trolling me at this point.

From Los Angeles Times

He’d been sitting on his birthday money for a month, waiting for Fiona to take us on the train into the city, to Newbury Comics, to browse through music, comic books, and assorted thingamajigs.

From Literature

It developed a reputation as the dollar store of the internet, shipping odd gimcracks and thingamajigs directly from vendors in China.

From New York Times

But it all falls apart in a hackneyed third act, as the characters end up in a rote standoff, bargaining for a thingamajig to save the world.

From Los Angeles Times