thong

Everyday

1. (Australia, New Zealand) Thongs are flip-flops: simple open sandals with a strap between the toes. tree →
2. A thong is a piece of underwear or swimwear with a very thin strip at the back. tree →
3. A thong is a thin strip of leather used to tie or fasten things. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life in Australia, people wear thongs to the beach; in the UK they are called flip-flops, in New Zealand jandals. In history, leather thongs tied shoes and tools. Because the word means underwear in the UK and USA, it causes funny misunderstandings between countries.

Examples

• Don't forget your thongs for the beach! (Australia) tree →
• My thongs broke and I had to walk barefoot. (Australia) tree →
• In the UK, thongs are called flip-flops. tree →
• The sandal was tied with a leather thong. tree →
• The necklace hung on a leather thong. tree →
• Kiwis call them jandals, Aussies call them thongs. tree →
• Finally, he found and drew forth a nicely plaited whip-thong with a red snapper all waxed and knotted. tree →

Note

Countable; usually plural for footwear: a pair of thongs. Trap: an Australian asking for thongs means flip-flops, not underwear. Said with a hard g at the end: thong rhymes with long.