thong

American  

[thawng, thong] / θɔŋ, θɒŋ /

noun

1. a strip of material, especially of leather or hide, used to fasten or secure something.

2. a strip of leather or hide used for whipping; whiplash.

3. a shoe or slipper fastened to the foot chiefly by a strip of leather or other material passing between the first and second toes and often attaching to another strip of material, as a strap across the instep or around the ankle.

4. a brief garment for the lower body that exposes the buttocks, consisting of a strip of fabric passing between the thighs and attached to a band around the waist.

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thong British  

/ θɒŋ /

noun

1. a thin strip of leather or other material, such as one used for lashing things together

2. a whip or whiplash, esp one made of leather

3. the usual name for flip-flop

4. 1. a skimpy article of beachwear, worn by men or women, consisting of thin strips of leather or cloth attached to a piece of material that covers the genitals while leaving the buttocks bare

   2. a similar item of underwear

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Other Word Forms

• thonged adjective

Etymology

Origin of thong

before 950; Middle English; Old English thwong; akin to Old Norse thvengr strap, thvinga to compel

Example Sentences

In a recent acrylic painting she calls “The Big Bang,” she depicts a Black woman facing away from the viewer, a gun in her thong and her middle finger up.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 16, 2022

Now think of all the trends that originated with those two: the selfie, purse dogs, contouring, thong heels, public awareness of and/or emotional investment in Kylie and Caitlyn Jenner, to name a few.

From Salon • Feb. 3, 2022

Don’t wear thong underwear, for instance, because those garments “allow bacteria to travel easier to the urethra,” Berkeley explains.

From Washington Post • Feb. 3, 2017

Many of the guests opted for jewelled thong sandals from the pop-up boutique.

From The New Yorker • Sep. 21, 2015

I pulled him through the opening under the fence and tied him to it with a thong and left food beside him to eat and some fresh water.

From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell