thingamabob
Americannoun
Usage
What does thingamabob mean? Thingamabob 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 thingamabob here. Thingamabob 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 thingamabobs? I’ve got a whole boxful of ’em. Take as many as you want. Less commonly, it can be spelled as thingumabob or thingumbob. There are several other similarly informal words that are used in the same way, including thingamajig, thingy, whachamacallit, whatsit, doohickey, and doodad. Example: My kids got me one of those thingamabobs that track your steps. What’s it called? A stepometer?
Etymology
Origin of thingamabob
First recorded in 1835–45; see origin at thingamajig, bob 2
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.
It is, as always, a relief when the stakes in a Marvel thingamabob aren’t the fate of the universe, but solvable by human ingenuity and just a wee bit of phosphorescent magic.
From Washington Post • Jun. 8, 2022
Another Ryan Murphy thingamabob, The Boys in the Band, will tie in nicely with Justin’s comments about representation.
From Slate • Dec. 31, 2020
Question for the “Saul”-watching collective: Did the device-planter not notice that the thingamabob was located in a very different car when he or they came by Mike’s house to grab it?
From New York Times • Apr. 10, 2017
She got up and returned with a small white thingamabob that had thickened cow’s milk in it.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
Thinking he was either kidding me or given to using baby talk, I replied: "Why, it's a mixture between a thingamabob and a nibleck."
From Biltmore Oswald The Diary of a Hapless Recruit by Dorgan, Dick
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.
