Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1800-1900
Origin: thingum 'thingamajig' (17-19 centuries), from thing

thingamajig

 noun
     
thing‧a‧ma‧jig also thing‧a‧ma-bob, thing‧y [countable] spoken
1 used when you cannot remember or do not know the name of the thing you want to mention:
What do you call that thingamajig? You know - the circle with the line through it.
2 British English used when you cannot remember or do not know the name of the person you want to mention:
Is thingy going?
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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