thug
thug Lexical Profile
thug Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A violent, aggressive person, especially a criminal or bully who uses physical force or intimidation.
"The shopkeeper refused to be intimidated by the local thugs demanding protection money."
(historical, often capitalized) A member of a former organization of professional robbers and assassins in India who strangled their victims.
"British colonial authorities launched a major campaign in the 1830s to suppress the network of Thugs operating along trade routes."
Word Nuance & Usage
In contemporary American usage, 'thug' can carry racially charged or coded connotations when applied to Black men and youths, so it should be used with awareness of its potential social implications.
• Rhymes for thug
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 19th century from Hindi 'thag' (deceiver or thief), ultimately from Sanskrit 'sthaga' (scoundrel), originally referring to a member of a historical brotherhood of robbers and assassins in India.