Doodad

Doodad is a colloquial term used to refer to a small object, gadget, or device whose exact name is unknown or deemed unnecessary to mention. It is commonly used when the speaker wants to reference an item without specifying its function or label, or to describe a decorative or utilitarian fitting. The word overlaps with doohickey, gizmo, thingamajig, and thingamabob. In everyday speech, people might say, “hand me that doodad on the shelf.”

Origin and usage: The exact origin of doodad is uncertain. It appears in English in the 19th or early 20th century, as part of a family of playful coinages that mimic sound or rhythm rather than convey precise meaning. The form is most common in American English but is widely understood in British English and other varieties. Doodad often signals a generic, unspecified object rather than a technical term.

In commerce and catalogs, doodads are listed as generic accessories or trinkets, sometimes as decorative items rather than functional devices. In informal writing and conversation, doodad serves as a placeholder for any small component, fastener, hinge, knob, or fitting when the exact term is unknown or unnecessary. The word is informal and rarely used in formal or technical writing.