teddy bear

American  

noun

1. a toy bear, especially a stuffed one.

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teddy bear British  

noun

1. Often shortened to: teddy.  a stuffed toy bear made from soft or fluffy material

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Etymology

Origin of teddy bear

1905–10, after Theodore Roosevelt, called Teddy, who is said to have saved the life of a bear cub while hunting

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, Camilla will mark the 100th birthday of fictional teddy bear Winnie the Pooh at the New York Public Library, where she is expected to gift a specially made toy of the character Roo.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

The men first met only after Milne bought a teddy bear at Harrods for his infant son’s first birthday in 1921 and, during a rainy holiday, wrote a few poems for children.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

Out the corner of my eye, I noticed this teddy bear chair in one of the waiting rooms we were passing by.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

She bought lollipops and a teddy bear, and by 10 a.m. she had set up shop outside a campus dining hall where she consoled students Sunday morning with offers of “free mom hugs.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 14, 2025

Lumbering down the grassy mountainside in southwestern China—being careful not to slip—is a giant panda teddy bear.

From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh