gimmick vs thingummy what difference

what is difference between gimmick and thingummy

English

Etymology

Unknown. Possibly a rough anagram of magic or from gimme.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɪm.ɪk/
• Rhymes: -ɪmɪk

Noun

gimmick (plural gimmicks)

1. A trick or device used to attain some end.

   The box had a gimmick to make the coin appear to vanish.

   • April 19 2002, Scott Tobias, AV Club Fightville[1]

     Epperlein and Tucker focus on two featherweight hopefuls: Dustin Poirier, a formidable contender who’s looking to parlay a history of schoolyard violence and street-fighting into a potential career, and Albert Stainback, a more thoughtful yet more erratic and undisciplined fighter whose chief gimmick is entering the ring wearing a hat like the one Malcolm McDowell wore in A Clockwork Orange.

2. A clever ploy or strategy.

   The contest was a gimmick to get people to sign up for their mailing list.

3. (electronics) A gimmick capacitor.
4. (Philippines) A night out with one’s friends.

Derived terms

• gimmicky
• gimmickry

Translations

Verb

gimmick (third-person singular simple present gimmicks, present participle gimmicking, simple past and past participle gimmicked)

1. To rig or set up with a trick or device.

   The magician’s box was gimmicked with a wire that made it appear to open on its own.

Translations

French

Etymology

From English gimmick.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡi.mik/

Noun

gimmick m (plural gimmicks)

1. gimmick

English

Etymology

From thingum +‎ -y. Compare thingamabob and thingamajig.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθɪŋəmi/

Noun

thingummy (plural thingummies)

1. Synonym of thingy: something one cannot remember the name of.
2. Synonym of whatshisname: someone one cannot remember the name of.
   • 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, pp. 10–11:

     Once, in his first term, Cartwright had been bold enough to ask him why he was so clever […]
     ‘It’s memory, Cartwright, old dear. Memory, the mother of the Muses. . . at least that’s what thingummy said.’
     ‘Who?’
     ‘You know, what’s his name, Greek poet chap. Wrote the Theogony. . . what was he called? Begins with an “H”.’
     ‘Homer?’
     ‘No, dear. Not Homer, the other one. No, it’s gone. Anyway. Memory, that’s the key.’

References

• “thingummy, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 2008.

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