Standard Lemma guide

thuggery

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈθʌɡəɹi/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌɡəɹi
  • CMU ARPABET: TH AH1 G ER0 IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The violent, criminal acts that are associated with thugs, and/or the fashion, manner of speaking, and demeanor associated with them.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

violent or brutal acts as of thugs

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: crime, offense, criminal offense, criminal offence, offence, law-breaking

History

Etymology

From thug + -ery.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Polish: bandyctwo — Translations
  • Polish: bandytyzm — Translations