thingy

What it means

1. informalA thing (used to refer to something vaguely or when one cannot recall or does not wish to mention its name).

   And as soon as that temperature returns to normal, let’s talk about the thingies that go through your headie at night.

   1996, Antonio Skármeta, translated by Jonathan Tittler, Love-Fifteen, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Latin American Literary Review Press, →ISBN, page 115

   2 more examples

   What I should really do, of course, is use a Personal Digital Assistant; one of those tiny hand-held computerette thingies […]

   2013, Iain Banks, Raw Spirit, page 60

   The incorporated technology is based on absolutely serious alt-fact science—that old familiar Einsteiny, time dilation thingy only in reverse— which also forms the basis of much of LaLa Valley's tech AI prowess.

   2023, Steve G Romaniuk, Tales from the Alternate Universe: Vol. 1

2. childisheuphemisticslangA penis.

   He pulled out his thingy. It was huge.

   2004, Richard Tinsley, Walking on the Son

   Synonyms: anaconda, baloney pony, bald-headed hermit, banana, bird, birdie, bobby, boonga

In a sentence

And as soon as that temperature returns to normal, let’s talk about the thingies that go through your headie at night.

1996, Antonio Skármeta, translated by Jonathan Tittler, Love-Fifteen, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Latin American Literary Review Press, →ISBN, page 115

Where it comes from

1. Proto-Indo-European*tenk-?
2. Proto-Indo-European*tenkóm
3. Proto-Germanic*þingą
4. Proto-West Germanic*þing
5. Old Englishþing
6. Middle Englishthing
7. Englishthing
8. Englishthingy

From thing + -y (diminutive suffix).