tummy
Americannoun
noun
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.
The medical term for my ailment is an asymmetrical gluteal cleft, though requests to fix it are far less common than those to eliminate cellulite, flatten the tummy, or augment the breasts.
From Slate • Feb. 22, 2026
“But the difference between Stage 3 and Stage 4 is it’s not in my lungs. It’s in my tummy area but not more upwards.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026
"My favourite book makes my tummy funny, because I laugh," she says.
From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025
The most common are for the face, tummy, thighs and breasts.
From BBC • Sep. 20, 2025
Sir Fig Newton was curled on the floor by Dad’s chair, soft wheezing snores accompanying his rising and falling tummy.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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.
