tummy

"Tummy" is a friendly, informal word for the belly or the stomach area, the part of the body between the chest and the hips. It is used most often with young children, but adults say it too in casual conversation when they want to sound gentle, playful, or caring. While "stomach" can mean one organ inside the body, "tummy" usually refers to the whole front area where people feel hunger, fullness, pain, or nervous fluttering.

You might hear it in sentences like "The baby has a full tummy," "My tummy hurts," or "I have butterflies in my tummy." In these examples, the word does not sound medical. Instead, it makes the message feel softer and more personal. That is why it is common in family speech, children's books, and everyday talk about food, feelings, and minor pain.

In formal writing or in a medical setting, people usually choose words like "abdomen" or "stomach" instead. Even so, "tummy" is a very natural English word and a useful one to know, because it appears often in daily life. It usually suggests comfort, closeness, and simple speech rather than technical detail.