thug (English)

Where does "thug" come from?

The word 'thug' originates from the Hindi term 'ṭhag,' which referred to swindlers or cheats. During the 19th-century British rule in India, the term was applied to the infamous 'Thuggee' criminal cults who robbed and strangled travelers. Eventually, the word transitioned into English as a general label for a violent criminal or ruffian.

Full etymology tree

• thug (English), 'A person who is a member of a gang or criminal organization.'
  • borrowed ठग (ṭhag) (Hindi), 'swindler, fraud, cheat'
    • inherited 𑀞𑀕 (ṭhaga) (Prakrit), 'thief'
      • inherited sthaga (Sanskrit)
        • derived sthag (Sanskrit)

Direct ancestors

• ठग (Hindi)
• thatch (English)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris