whatsit
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What does whatsit mean? Whatsit 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 whatsit 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 commonly 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 whatsis as well as whachamacallit, what-do-you-call-it, thingamajig, thingamabob, thingy, doohickey, and doodad.Example: My kids got me one of those whatsits that track your steps. What’s it called? A stepometer?
Etymology
Origin of whatsit
Reduction of what is it
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.
Netflix website Tudum explains this name "came from the name of Mrs Whatsit from A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle's classic 1962 science fantasy novel", which Holly was reading in season five.
From BBC
It remains to be seen why Holly now has a cassette tape copy of Tiffany's 80s hit, I Think We're Alone Now, given to her by Henry, who she called Mr Whatsit.
From BBC
“Over here, and around the fountain. And sprinkled in and around these other plants on the right. And in a large clump over there, near that shrubby thing, the whatsit. Lilac. Oh! And look what else is here in the garden, come springtime....”
From Literature
The head-shaped whatsit floated on the surface of a large puddle of uncertain depth, which no doubt had been left by the strong rains of the previous night.
From Literature
If you’ve seen his fleet, clever 2019 whatsit “Chained for Life,” about the vanities troubling a low-budget mad-scientist movie shoot starring a cast of disabled actors, you know how attuned Schimberg can be to everyday snubs and microaggressions.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
