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Origin and history of thong

thong(n.)

"strip cut from a piece of leather," Old English þwong, þwang "narrow strip of leather" (especially used from late Old English of a strap for a particular purpose, as a cord or whip or a band for fastening), from Proto-Germanic *thwang- (source also of Old Norse þvengr), said in Watkins to be from PIE root *twengh- "to press in on, to restrain" (source also of Old English twengan "to pinch, squeeze").

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In reference to a kind of sandal, by 1965 (thong sandals); as a kind of bikini briefs, by 1990. In 15c., to cut large thongs of other men's leather was a figure for the comparative wastefulness likely accompany use of what is another's. As an adjective, thonged is attested from mid-15c. as "flogged."

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Entries linking to thong

twinge(n.)

1540s, "a pinch, a nipping," from obsolete verb twinge "to pinch, tweak," from Old English twengan "to pinch," from Proto-Germanic *twangjan (source also of Old Frisian thwinga, Old Norse þvinga, Danish tvinge, Dutch dwingen, Old High German thwingan, German zwingen "to compel, force"), said in Watkins to be from PIE *twengh- "to press in on" (see thong).

The meaning "sharp, sudden minor pain" is recorded from c. 1600. The figurative mental sense (with reference to shame, remorse, etc.) is recorded from 1620s.

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wang(n.)

"penis," 1933, slang, probably from whangdoodle, an earlier term for "gadget, thing for which the correct name is not known." Many such words (thingy, dingus, etc.) have been used in slang for "penis," not because the actual name was unknown, but because it was unmentionable. Another possibility is that the slang word is a variant of whang "large, thick slice" (1630s), which earlier was used in the sense of "thong" (1530s) and is itself a variant of thwang, an alternative form of thong (see thong). In Old English, wang meant "cheek, jaw," hence wangtoð "cheek-tooth, molar."

whang(n.)

1530s, "thong, strap," especially if of leather, a variant of thwang, an alternative form of thong (see thong). By 1680s as "a big slice." As a verb by 1680s as "beat, flog, whack;" by 1743 as "cut in large portions."

    Trends of thong

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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    flip-flop
    also flip flop, "plastic thong beach sandal," by 1970, imitative of the sound of walking in them. Flip-flap had been used in various senses, mostly echoic or imitative of a kind of loose flapping movement, since 1520s: Flip-flaps, a peculiar rollicking dance indulged in by coste
    lanyard
    ," alternative spelling (influenced by nautical yard (2) "long beam used to support a sail") of Middle English lainer, "thong...for fastening parts of armor or clothing" (late 14c.), from Old French laniere "thong, lash, strap of leather," from lasniere...(12c., from lasne "strap, thong"), apparently altered (by metathesis and influence of Old French las "lace") from nasliere...
    scourge
    used for torture," from Anglo-French scorge, escorge, back-formation from Old French scurge, eschurge "a whip, scourge, thong...This is a compound of Latin ex- "out, off," or here perhaps intensive, (see ex-) + corrigia "thong, shoelace," in Late Latin...
    lorimer
    loremier "saddler, harness-maker, military leatherworker" (Modern French lormier), from loraim, from Latin lorum "strap, thong...
    leash
    c. 1300, "thong for holding a dog or hound," from Old French lesse, laisse "hound's leash," ultimately from Latin laxus "...
    strip
    , narrow, flat piece," mid-15c., "narrow piece of cloth," probably related to or from Middle Low German strippe "strap, thong...
    brace
    early 14c., "piece of armor for the arms," also "thong, strap for fastening," from Old French brace "arms," also "length...
    sandal
    type of shoe consisting of a sole fastened to the foot by thongs, the common footwear of ancient Greece and Rome, late 14c., from Old French sandale and directly from Medieval Latin sandalum, from Latin sandalium "a slipper, sandal," from Greek sandalion, diminutive of sandalon "
    G-string
    1878, geestring, "loincloth worn by an American Indian," originally the string that holds it up, etymology unknown. The spelling with G (1882) is perhaps from influence of violin string tuned to a G (in this sense G string is first recorded 1831), the lowest and heaviest of the v
    whip
    mid-13c., wippen "flap violently," not in Old English, of uncertain origin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *wipjan "to move back and forth" (source also of Danish vippe "to raise with a swipe," Middle Dutch, Dutch wippen "to swing," Old High German wipf "swing, impetus"), from PI
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    Dictionary entries near thong