Dictionary

thuggee en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ʈʰʌ.ɡiː/ (India)
• /ʈʰɑ.ɡiː/ (India)
• /θʌˈɡiː/ (UK)

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindustani ठगी (ṭhagī) / ٹھگی (ṭhagī).

Meanings

1. (countable, historical) A thug (a member of band of assassins in India).
2. (historical, uncountable) The murder and robbery of groups of travellers in India.
   • ‘In India, where everything began, this kind of human activity, obscene in itself, was undertaken on behalf of a goddess, called, I think, Kali; the murder was an act of so-called thugee, I was told.’ 1983, Lawrence Durrell, Sebastian (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 1070:

Forms

Relateds

thuggism · thuggery · thug