machin

thingamajig, whatsit

noun mah-SHAHN Less Common

Usage Note

Machin is a colloquial placeholder noun used when you can't remember or don't want to say a name — equivalent to 'whatsit' or 'thingamajig' in English. It can refer to a person (ce machin-là = 'that guy') or an object. The feminine equivalent is une machine in this informal sense, though machin is more common as the filler word.

Examples

"Passe-moi ce machin, là."

Natural Translation

Pass me that thingamajig.

Literal Translation

Pass me that whatsit, there.

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