doohickey

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A thing (used in a vague way to refer to something whose name one does not know or cannot recall)

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

What does this doohickey do?

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “doohickey” mean?

A thing (used in a vague way to refer to something whose name one does not know or cannot recall)

Is “doohickey” formal or informal?

doohickey is generally slang.