whatsis
Americannoun
Usage
What does whatsis mean? Whatsis 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 whatsis here. The word is also sometimes used to refer to things that are not physical objects, such as events, types of media, or abstract concepts. It’s not typically used to refer to people (terms used for this purpose include what’s-her-name, what’s-his-name, and what’s-their-name). There are several other similarly informal words that are used in the same way, including the very similar term whatsit as well as whachamacallit, what-do-you-call-it, thingamajig, thingamabob, thingy, doohickey, and doodad. Example: My kids got me a whatsis that tracks your steps. What’s it called? A stepometer?
Etymology
Origin of whatsis
Reduction of what's this
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.
The public has taken this relatively new scientific whatsis home on approval, but has not yet bought it.
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
