Thingummy/thingummy-bob/thingummy-jig

Origin of: Thingummy/thingummy-bob/thingummy-jig

Thingummy/thingummy-bob/thingummy-jig

Nonsense words used when one cannot recall the exact name of a thing or person. They derive from the word ‘thing’. According to the OED, it all started with ‘thingum’ in 1680, evolved into ‘thingumbob’ or ‘thingummybob’ in 1751, and finally ‘thingummy’ came along in 1796. So much precision for so much nonsense. See also dingus and oojah/oojamaflip.