tummy
Americannoun
plural
tummiesnoun
Etymology
Origin of tummy
First recorded in 1865–70; nursery alteration of stomach
Explanation
Tummy is an informal shorthand for stomach. This word is mainly used for talking to little kids: "Aw, do you have a tummy ache?" You wouldn't use the word tummy in your human anatomy class, but you might use it when you babysit your two-year-old niece. Infants sometimes have "tummy time," a short period when they are turned onto their stomachs so they can develop their neck and shoulder muscles. Tummy has been in use since the 19th century, and experts guess that it comes from a childish pronunciation of stomach.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Tummy tucks are one of the most common procedures to return with a complication from," she adds.
From BBC • Sep. 20, 2025
A slew of Bachelor stars have raked in money shilling for Flat Tummy Tea and SugarBear hair gummies to the millions of Instagram followers.
From Washington Post • Mar. 14, 2022
Tummy tucks were listed on paperwork as hernia repair or abdominal reconstruction.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 4, 2022
She has 164 million followers on Instagram, where she sprinkles some sponsored posts about hair care products, Facebook’s video calling service, and, to much internet outrage, meal replacement shakes by Flat Tummy Co.
From New York Times • Apr. 2, 2020
My tummy——" "Private Tummy is a shirker, who doesn't want to do his duty.
From The Dop Doctor by Dehan, Richard
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
