toy

Meaning

Noun

1. Something to play with, especially as intended for use by a child.
2. A thing of little importance or value; a trifle.
3. A simple, light piece of music, written especially for the virginal.
4. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of toy dog.
5. (obsolete) Love play, amorous dalliance; fondling.
6. (obsolete) A vague fancy, a ridiculous idea or notion; a whim.
7. (obsolete) An old story; a silly tale.
8. (Scotland, archaic) A headdress of linen or wool that hangs down over the shoulders, worn by elderly women of the lower classes.
9. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, euphemistic) Ellipsis of sex toy.
10. (derogatory, slang) An inferior graffiti artist.
11. (Multicultural-London-English, slang) A gun.
12. (dated, euphemistic, slang) The penis.
13. (dated, euphemistic, slang) The vagina.
14. (dated, slang) A watch.
15. (dated, slang) A small jar (about an inch across) used to hold prepared opium.
16. (dated, slang) A small ball of opium (about the size of a pea).

Verb

1. (intransitive) To play (with) in an idle or desultory way.
2. (intransitive) To ponder or consider.
3. (slang, transitive) To stimulate with a sex toy.

Adj

Impractical or unsuitable for real-world use, due to being unrealistically small or simple.

Synonyms

plaything

play

doll

bauble

trinket

trifle

dally

miniature

flirt

😘

game

toys

fiddle

diddle

toy dog

trick

knick-knack

diminutive

babylike

model

child’s play

sport

monkey

🐒

novelty

paddle

picture

plain sailing

playing

prank

present

propeller

pushover

rattle

rollick

scarecrow

sham

spinning top

statue

tease

thingumabob

tool

top

🔝

twiddle

walkover

wheel

🛞

pet animal

play with

throwing stick

pseudo-

amusement

play-thing

Translations

jouet

giocattolo

Spielzeug

juguete

brinquedo

speelgoed

παιχνίδι

balocco

speeltuig

speelbal

joguina

jouer

παιχνιδάκι

joguina

Pronounced as (IPA)

/tɔɪ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: toye

Cognate with Middle Dutch: toy

Cognate with Dutch: speeltuig

Cognate with German: Zeug

Cognate with Danish: tøj

In summary

Inherited from Middle English toye (“amorous play, piece of fun or entertainment”), probably from Middle Dutch toy, tuyg (“tools, apparatus, utensil, ornament”) as in Dutch speel-tuig (“play-thing, toy”), from Old Dutch *tiug, from Proto-West Germanic *tiugī̆, *teug, from Proto-Germanic *teugą (“stuff, matter, device, gear, lever”, literally “that which is drawn or pulled”), from Proto-Germanic *teuhaną (“to lead, bring, pull”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to pull, lead”). Cognate with German Zeug (“stuff”), Danish tøj (“stuff”), Norwegian tøy (“equipment, riggings, stuff”). Related to tug, tow, taw, tew.