What does thigh mean?
A thigh is the upper part of the leg, extending from the hip to the knee. It contains the femur, the body's longest bone, as well as major muscles that allow a person or animal to bend, straighten, and support the body. The word is used in both human and animal contexts, so a sentence might refer to an athlete's powerful thigh or to a cut of meat from an animal's thigh. In clothing, thigh-high refers to garments that extend to or above the thigh. Although thigh is anatomically specific, it is also common in figurative expressions about strength, movement, and the spread of an influence or problem. Its long history reflects the importance of the upper leg in both physical movement and ordinary description of the body.
The fleshy part of the leg between the hip and the knee, containing the femur.
"The doctor examined the painful muscle in her left thigh."
This is the ordinary anatomical sense and is common in formal, informal, and technical contexts.
The corresponding upper-leg portion of an animal, especially when considered as meat.
"The butcher recommended a boneless cut from the chicken thigh."
This sense is especially common in culinary contexts and in descriptions of animal anatomy.
The regular plural is used for multiple thighs, whether referring to people, animals, or separate pieces of meat.
"Her trousers fit comfortably around both thighs."
The word has ancient roots: it descends from Old English þēoh, a term for the powerful upper leg.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does thigh come from?
The word comes through Middle English from Old English þēoh, meaning the fleshy part of the leg above the knee. Older English forms were related to thew, an old word for muscle, sinew, or brawn, and the same broad Germanic tradition includes the Old Norse word þjó, “thigh.” The modern English form gradually replaced the older native variants and has remained a common anatomical noun.
Related word forms
How thigh is actually used
In standard English, thigh is a neutral anatomical term. It is frequently used in descriptions of the leg and in compounds such as thigh-high, while expressions involving the thigh can sound informal or humorous when used metaphorically.