teddy

teddy — noun

1. a child's soft toy made to look like a bear, usually with brown fur-like fabric,

1.nounA1
Definition

a child's soft toy made to look like a bear, usually with brown fur-like fabric, that is filled with soft material such as cotton or foam

Example

Little Jabari refused to sleep without his old teddy beside him.

possessive + teddy: his old teddy

Aunt Elena found a fluffy teddy on sale and bought it for the baby.

collocation: fluffy teddy

Common collocations
  • fluffy teddy
  • favourite teddy
  • old teddy
  • new teddy
  • cuddly teddy
Synonyms
  • teddy bear

    the full form, slightly more descriptive and used in formal or product-label contexts

  • stuffed bear

    a broader term that can refer to any bear-shaped stuffed toy, not only the classic brown teddy

  • cuddly toy

    a British English term emphasising the soft, huggable quality of any stuffed toy, not just bears

Grammar Patterns

teddy (often used with possessive: my teddy, his teddy)

Usage Note

The full phrase 'teddy bear' is also very common. This sense is most frequent in children's contexts and is often used with possessive determiners like 'my' or 'her'.

Common Mistakes

The child carried his teddy bare around the house.
The child carried his teddy bear around the house.
'bare' means uncovered or without clothes; the stuffed toy is a 'teddy bear'.

2. a close-fitting undergarment worn by women that covers the upper body, often mad

2.nounB2
Definition

a close-fitting undergarment worn by women that covers the upper body, often made from silk, lace, or other fine fabric and sometimes reaching down to the waist

Example

The boutique sells silk teddies in various colours and styles.

collocation: silk teddy

Adina wore a lace teddy under her evening dress.

Common collocations
  • silk teddy
  • lace teddy
  • black teddy
  • matching teddy
  • teddy set
Synonyms
  • chemise

    a similar garment but usually looser-fitting and straight, while a teddy is more close-fitting and shaped

  • bodysuit

    a more general term that can be worn as outerwear or underwear, whereas 'teddy' is specifically lingerie

Grammar Patterns

teddy (singular), teddies (plural)

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (SOFT TOY BEAR) — context is the only guide. Shopping, fashion, and lingerie contexts signal this sense. The plural form 'teddies' is also common in retail.

Common Mistakes

She wore a teddy bear to the party.
She wore a teddy to the party.
'teddy bear' is a stuffed toy for children; 'teddy' without 'bear' can refer to a piece of women's underwear.

Word family

  • teddy bear
    nounA1
  • teddies
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Teddy bear' is the full form of 'teddy' and is slightly more formal or descriptive, often used on product labels and in formal writing. 'Stuffed bear' is a broader term that includes any bear-shaped stuffed animal, not necessarily the classic short-faced brown bear design. 'Plush toy' refers to any soft stuffed toy regardless of shape or animal type — it names the material rather than the toy category itself. 'Cuddly toy' is a British English term that highlights the tactile, huggable quality of the toy, and can apply to any stuffed animal. For example, a child might say 'I love my teddy,' while a shop catalogue would label it 'soft teddy bear,' and a British parent might ask 'Which cuddly toy do you want to take to bed?'

teddy bearstuffed bearplush toycuddly toy

Etymology

EnglishAmerican English

The word 'teddy' comes from 'Teddy bear,' which was named after President Theodore ('Teddy') Roosevelt. In 1902, Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear cub during a hunting trip, and the story inspired a toy maker to create a stuffed bear called 'Teddy's bear.' Later this was shortened to 'teddy bear' and then to 'teddy.' The second sense of 'teddy' as a piece of women's underwear appeared much later, in the mid-20th century, and the origin of that use is unrelated — it may have come from a fashion brand name or from a different word root entirely.