ठग

The ṭhag (ठग) or 'thugs' were members of a criminal cult in India who robbed and murdered travelers as a form of worship to the goddess Kali. They would befriend travelers, gain their trust, then strangle them with a rumal (cloth) and steal their possessions.

British colonial authorities encountered the Thuggee cult in the early 19th century. Major William Henry Sleeman led a campaign to suppress them, and by the 1840s, the cult was largely eradicated. But the word had already entered English.

'Thug' quickly generalized from its specific Indian meaning to any violent criminal. By the 20th century, 'thug' was American slang for a gangster or tough guy. The religious dimension was entirely lost.

The word has a complex modern life: 'thug' is sometimes used with racial undertones in American discourse, leading to debates about coded language. The Thuggee cult is forgotten; the word's cultural baggage is entirely new.