thong

[thawng, thong] /θɔŋ, θɒŋ/
noun
1.
a strip of material, especially of leather or hide, used to fasten or secure something.
2.
a strip of leather or hide used for whipping; whiplash.
3.
a shoe or slipper fastened to the foot chiefly by a strip of leather or other material passing between the first and second toes and often attaching to another strip of material, as a strap across the instep or around the ankle.
4.
a brief garment for the lower body that exposes the buttocks, consisting of a strip of fabric passing between the thighs and attached to a band around the waist.
Origin
before 950; Middle English; Old English thwong; akin to Old Norse thvengr strap, thvinga to compel
Related forms
thonged, adjective
Can be confused
thong, tong, tongue.
Examples from the web for thong
  • A string bikini or thong is also a type of undergarment worn by both men and women.
British Dictionary definitions for thong

thong

/θɒŋ/
noun
1.
a thin strip of leather or other material, such as one used for lashing things together
2.
a whip or whiplash, esp one made of leather
3.
(US & Canadian, Austral & NZ) the usual name for flip-flop (sense 5)
4.
  1. a skimpy article of beachwear, worn by men or women, consisting of thin strips of leather or cloth attached to a piece of material that covers the genitals while leaving the buttocks bare
  2. a similar item of underwear
Word Origin
Old English thwang; related to Old High German dwang reins, Old Norse thvengr strap
Word Origin and History for thong
n.

Old English þwong "thong, narrow strip of leather (used as a cord, band, strip, etc.)," from Proto-Germanic *thwangaz (cf. Old Norse þvengr), from PIE root *twengh- "to press in on, to restrain." As a kind of sandal, first attested 1965; as a kind of bikini briefs, 1990.