noun
thong
thong
noun
1
A narrow strip of leather or other material used to fasten or tie things.
"The sandal was held together with a leather thong."
2
A minimal item of underwear or swimwear that leaves the buttocks mostly bare.
"She packed a thong for the beach."
3
A flip-flop sandal held on by a strap between the toes (chiefly Australian).
"He kicked off his thongs before walking onto the sand."
How to Use Thong
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA narrow strap or strip — or, more commonly today, a skimpy piece of underwear (in Australia, it also means a flip-flop sandal).
UK vs US
In Australian English, "thongs" usually means flip-flops, not underwear — context matters.
Word Forms
thongs plural, Thongs plural
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The sandal was held together with a leather _____.
Etymology
From Old English þwong, an old Germanic word for a strip or strap used to bind things.