whatchamacallit
17 synonyms for whatchamacallit, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An informal word for an object whose name you can't remember or don't know.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
gimmick
gizmo
gismo
doodad
widget
gubbins
whatsis
doohickey
doojigger
thingummy
thingmabob
thingmajig
thingamabob
thingumabob
thingamajig
thingumajig
whatchamacallum
How to use whatchamacallit
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
that whatchamacallit
the whatchamacallit thing
Very informal and spoken — never used in formal writing.
Etymology
A run-together, shortened form of "what you may call it," first recorded in the early 1920s in the United States.
Full origin of whatchamacallit →Frequently asked questions
What does “whatchamacallit” mean?
The word “whatchamacallit” means an informal word for an object whose name you can't remember or don't know. In plain terms, a playful stand-in word for "thing" when the real name has slipped your mind.
How do you pronounce “whatchamacallit”?
“Whatchamacallit” is pronounced WOT-shuh-muh-kaw-liht (/ˈwʌt͡ʃəməˌkɔlɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “whatchamacallit” in a sentence?
Here is “whatchamacallit” used in a sentence: “Pass me the whatchamacallit, the thing that opens jars.”
What part of speech is “whatchamacallit”?
“Whatchamacallit” is a noun.
Where does the word “whatchamacallit” come from?
The word “whatchamacallit” dates back to around 1920. A run-together, shortened form of "what you may call it," first recorded in the early 1920s in the United States.
