Thingamabob / noun / thing·​am·​a·​bob

Thingamabob is an informal or nonsense noun meaning "anything," typically used as a replacement for an object. It is pronounced, “thing-a-ma-bob.”

The word thingamabob is used in English to replace the names of things that one doesn’t know or can’t remember the name of. Thingamabob is a universally recognized substitute for a wide variety of words. The words thingamajig, doodad, or doohickey are used similarly.

In a Sentence

Can you please hand me that thingamabob off of the table?

What is the name of that thingamabob that sits on top of a rocket ship?

She did not even know the name of that thingamabob she saw in the commercial, — she just knew she wanted to order one for her kitchen.

Etymology

Etymologists and historians say the word “thingamabob” likely originated from the Massachusetts town of Concord, where David Humphreys first used it in published writing in 1775. The word was used as a way to refer to an object when the actual name for it was unknown.

Thingamabob is closely related to the word thingamajig, which is used similarly. Thingamabob gained popularity in English during the late 1700s and is still widely used. There is also an American television show based on science that has been going by the name "Thingamabob" since January 2014.

Synonym

Thingamajig, Doohickey