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doohickey

doohickey

11 9.9
A small object whose name you do not know
  • noun
  • /ˈduːhɪki/
  • Informal
: chisme (coloq.)
  • Can you pass me that doohickey over there? I need it for the repair.
  • little doohickey

By the way, these are the new stainless steel true lean tumblers, and they have this really awesome little doohickey in it.

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Examples

  • I found a useful doohickey that helps organize all my cables.

  • Maroon 5 is synonymous with mass-producing disposable pop-song doohickeys like "One More Night" that can top the charts in an efficient and inoffensive manner.

    Blog text (21)
  • Oh, now I have this little doohickey and that little doohickey.

  • I need this little doohickey to sit there.

  • With the little string and the paper doohickey at the end...

  • MAN: Hey, what's that doohickey?

  • You can't breathe without that doohickey, can you?

  • This doohickey sends the prints to a crime database.

  • What is this doohickey?

  • What's this doohickey?

Synonyms

thingy
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
75 8.4

An informal word for an object when you forget its name

is more neutral and can name gadgets as well as random objects
widget
vsdoohickey
59 5.1

A small useful thing or tool for a particular job

is less example-focused and fits any unnamed object in speech
gizmo
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
56 7.1

A small device or tool whose name you do not know

is broader, used for any unnamed object not only small devices
doodad
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
7 8.7

A small thing or device whose name you do not know

is wider, used for any unnamed item, not strictly small gadgets
dingus
vsdoohickey
  • Slang
7 9.6

An informal word for an object or person whose name you cannot remember

is more object-focused and less commonly used for people
whatchamacallit
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
7 9.9

A word for an object whose name you do not know

is more playful and often names small physical gadgets too
thingie
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
6 9.2

A simple word for an object you cannot remember the name of

is slightly more likely used for small gadgets or mechanical items
gimmick
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
6 5.6

A small object whose name you cannot remember

is less suggestive of novelty or trick and more general in use
thingamajig
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
5 9.9

A word people use for a person or object when they forget its name

is narrower, usually for objects rather than referring to people
thingamabob
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
5 9.6

A thing whose name you do not know or remember

is used more broadly for everyday unnamed objects and gadgets
wingding
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
1 8.9

A small object whose name you do not know

is more neutral and used for simple unnamed everyday items
whatsis
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
1 9.9

A thing whose name you cannot remember

is more likely to point to small gadgets rather than any thing
hootenanny
vsdoohickey
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A small tool or object you forget the name of

is more common in everyday speech for simple unnamed items
gismo
vsdoohickey
  • UK
8.5

A small device you do not know the name of

is more general, applying to any unnamed object beyond gadgets
thingumajig
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
9.9

A small object whose name you do not know

is slightly more gadget-focused than this general unspecified usage
thingumabob
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
9.9

An object whose name you don't know or have forgotten

is more casual and widely used for many unnamed items
thingmajig
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
9.9

An object whose name you do not know or have forgotten

is broader, often used casually for any unnamed object, not only devices
thingummy
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
9.9

A word for a person or thing whose name you cannot remember

is more object-focused and used especially for small gadgets
whatchamacallum
vsdoohickey
  • UK
9.9

A word for something whose name you cannot remember

is more casual and frequently used for simple gadgets or tools
dojigger
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
9.9

A small object used when you do not know its name

is more general and commonly used for everyday unnamed items
gubbins
vsdoohickey
  • UK
9.9

Small things you do not know the name of or need

is focused on single unnamed objects rather than groups of items
thinginess
vsdoohickey
  • Informal
9.9

A word used for an object when you forget its name

is more standard and used broadly for unnamed gadgets and things

How Formal

apparatus
45 6.1
device
∞ 2.1
gadget
142 2.9
doohickey
  • Informal
11 9.9
thingy
  • Informal
75 8.4

Surface Forms

doohickey singular
doohickeys plural

Etymology

Doohickey is a playful, nonsense name likely mixed from words like doodad and hickey, both used for small tools or gadgets. So calling something a doohickey is an easy way to say 'that little gadget' when you don't know or forget the real name.