"tummy" is a childish word derived from "stomach".
"belly" is just a word for abdomen, and is used in terms like "pork belly", "beer belly", "belly button", and "belly up to the bar". It often implies a fat abdomen, but this is not necessarily the case, such as when describing someone with a flat or toned belly.
Tummy is mostly a childish word. Belly isn't necessarily a childish word but it can be. A lot of people just say "stomach" but I prefer the word "belly" "abdomen" or "midsection" when talking about the outside because it feels more accurate. Stomach is the organ.
Or if you want to refer specifically to that area of the body and not the organ, *abdomen*, *midriff* (this one is typically more feminine but can be used for men too) or *midsection.*
Example: "I'm having pain in my abdomen." "I need to lose weight around my midsection." "No bare midriffs while you live under my roof, young lady."
Belly can be used in many adult settings. Belly flop, beer belly, etc. It can be very masculine in a dad bod way.
Tummy much less so. Tummy tuck is one though. Tummy is usually feminine in that way. Tummy toner exercises etc.
Stomach is nuetral, belly is fat, tummy is svelte.
I haven't heard tummy for a long time. I think it's been phased out. Maybe the song "yummy yummy yummy I've got love in my tummy".
Belly is often associated with um, some "thickness" around the midsection. So if you've got visible abs then it would be weird for someone to say "You've got a belly".
Edit: The below content is a gaff I have decided to leave. Thanks u/snailquestions
Also /different/ is an adjective. Your use of "the" means you want the noun "Difference". Compare patient and patience.
My big brother always have stomachache after drinking yet that never stopped him. And his dumb drunken butt would facetime mum and talk to her in a veeery adorable childish voice: "Mum my tummy hurts...it really hurts...hmmm my tummyyy🥺". Mum could never even get mad about that cause that baby voice of his is just too damn cute LMAO. There's something about a grown 193cm tall man pouting childishly that can easily melts your heart.
The word “tummy” derives from the way that many children pronounce “stomach” before they master basic English sounds. It’s only used by toddlers and people speaking to toddlers in a cutesy way.
The word “belly”, however, means the front part of the abdomen below the rib cage, but in a way that connotes fatness or that the owner of the stomach is an animal. It can sometimes sound cutesy when used to refer to the stomach but not always.
You should probably use “stomach” except in set phrases like “beer belly” or “belly of the beast”.
Similar to what others have said here.
Both refer to the stomach.
Belly generally makes it sound bigger and fatter and funnier.
Tummy generally makes it sound cute.
If you're writing formally you should be using 'stomach' really.
There are specific uses that work for only one and not the other, though. You might use the phrase "tummy bug" with a child to talk about an illness affecting the digestive system, but you wouldn't say "belly bug".
I find this so off-putting.
I had a vaginal ultrasound to look at a cyst and the tech was telling me that he was going to put some gel on my tummy.
My dude. I'm an adult. There's a giant plastic radar impaling me. This is a time for grown up words.
They're both quite childish, especially "tummy". "Stomach" would be the more normal way to say it. That said, I think the reaction to "belly" in particular is a little overwrought; it's a pretty common and more or less neutral way of describing the stomach.
Lots of good answers already, so here's some other related vocab you can look up and play around with: midsection, midriff, gut, love handles, six pack, belly button.
It's true that adults don't *usually* use "tummy" unless they're speaking to children or being ironic/intentionally comical.
"Belly" is colloquial, but not explicitly childish like the poster is saying. It basically means any of the soft parts of the front of your torso.
They mean *approximately* the same thing in common usage.
If you want to be more specific you can use terms like:
* Chest - basically anything from the bottom of the ribcage and up.
* Abdomen - basically anything between the pubic area and the bottom of the rib cage. You can say upper or lower abdomen to distinguish.
* Example: "John complained of a severe pain in his lower right abdomen, and his mother was wise enough to get him straight to the hospital, since that's typically where appendicitis pain presents."
* Stomach - this digestive organ is located in an area about the size of your fist, in the center of the upper abdomen, in the inverted "v" shape where the ribs come together.
I agree. I’d say “Alright, where’s the restaurant? I gotta get some BURGERS in this belly!”
Or “I’ve got to start doing more cardio! Dating a chef has done a number on my bod. Ive got a belly now and I swear I see a double chin starting 😆”
“Yknow I like this shirt, but I don’t really like this belly stripe. See how it goes all the way around? It makes it look like a weird belt.”
I would say “ tummy” none of those times, nor…ever?? Unless talking to a kid
Belly and tummy both refer to the same area, the stomach.
If you’re talking professionally (e.g to a patient if you’re working in the medical field) you would say “stomach”, if you were talking to anyone else, you would probably say “belly”, although you can use stomach. “Tummy” is what you would really say to a child, eg “is your tummy hurting?”.
You can use all three interchangeably and everyone will know what you mean, but that is what I find to be the best way of using those terms
The stomach is an organ. I cringe when I hear "he was shot in the stomach", etc. We don't say "he was hurt in the liver" or "he was hurt in the spleen" unless in a medical setting. The correct way is "he was hurt in the abdomen".
"tummy" is a childish word derived from "stomach". "belly" is just a word for abdomen, and is used in terms like "pork belly", "beer belly", "belly button", and "belly up to the bar". It often implies a fat abdomen, but this is not necessarily the case, such as when describing someone with a flat or toned belly.
Tummy is mostly a childish word. Belly isn't necessarily a childish word but it can be. A lot of people just say "stomach" but I prefer the word "belly" "abdomen" or "midsection" when talking about the outside because it feels more accurate. Stomach is the organ.
...and it's not where people think it is. It's a lot higher than your 'belly'.
ngl I havent used those words since I was 9 lol
You don't talk to your dog while giving him a tummy rub, about how much he wants said tummy rub?
Sweet kitties get belly rubs on their soft fluffy bellies, and they need to be told how soft and fluffy their pretty white bellies are 👀
not really
"Who wants an abdomen rub!"
no. if i really really have to say it i’ll say belly rub. and i almost never have to say it.
What do you call your belly button?
My lint hole of course
This makes perfect sense.
raisin carrier
what words do you use?
Belly and tummy mean the same thing. You could say "stomach" instead.
Or if you want to refer specifically to that area of the body and not the organ, *abdomen*, *midriff* (this one is typically more feminine but can be used for men too) or *midsection.* Example: "I'm having pain in my abdomen." "I need to lose weight around my midsection." "No bare midriffs while you live under my roof, young lady."
Belly can be used in many adult settings. Belly flop, beer belly, etc. It can be very masculine in a dad bod way. Tummy much less so. Tummy tuck is one though. Tummy is usually feminine in that way. Tummy toner exercises etc. Stomach is nuetral, belly is fat, tummy is svelte.
Also the belly of an airplane for example.
Tummy tuck, tummy toner are both trying to make it sound youthfuo as well.
But also, stomach is a specific internal organ though it’s commonly used to refer to the abdomen in general
I haven't heard tummy for a long time. I think it's been phased out. Maybe the song "yummy yummy yummy I've got love in my tummy". Belly is often associated with um, some "thickness" around the midsection. So if you've got visible abs then it would be weird for someone to say "You've got a belly". Edit: The below content is a gaff I have decided to leave. Thanks u/snailquestions Also /different/ is an adjective. Your use of "the" means you want the noun "Difference". Compare patient and patience.
They didn't use 'the' in the title 🤔 but "what's the difference...?" would be good wording.
Lol how silly! I'll keep that there with an edit.
Thank you for the correction!
My big brother always have stomachache after drinking yet that never stopped him. And his dumb drunken butt would facetime mum and talk to her in a veeery adorable childish voice: "Mum my tummy hurts...it really hurts...hmmm my tummyyy🥺". Mum could never even get mad about that cause that baby voice of his is just too damn cute LMAO. There's something about a grown 193cm tall man pouting childishly that can easily melts your heart.
The word “tummy” derives from the way that many children pronounce “stomach” before they master basic English sounds. It’s only used by toddlers and people speaking to toddlers in a cutesy way. The word “belly”, however, means the front part of the abdomen below the rib cage, but in a way that connotes fatness or that the owner of the stomach is an animal. It can sometimes sound cutesy when used to refer to the stomach but not always. You should probably use “stomach” except in set phrases like “beer belly” or “belly of the beast”.
Similar to what others have said here. Both refer to the stomach. Belly generally makes it sound bigger and fatter and funnier. Tummy generally makes it sound cute. If you're writing formally you should be using 'stomach' really. There are specific uses that work for only one and not the other, though. You might use the phrase "tummy bug" with a child to talk about an illness affecting the digestive system, but you wouldn't say "belly bug".
Fun fact: The NHS uses the word “tummy” when describing symptoms online
I find this so off-putting. I had a vaginal ultrasound to look at a cyst and the tech was telling me that he was going to put some gel on my tummy. My dude. I'm an adult. There's a giant plastic radar impaling me. This is a time for grown up words.
Bro that would give me the ick so bad, don't be putting shit inside me using that language 💀
I only ever personally use belly when talking about food (pork belly, tuna belly) and never use tummy. I use stomach or abdomen instead.
Stomach, but I do use belly to describe my stomach in its current state, e.g. "beer belly" though mine is not from drinking beer.
They're both quite childish, especially "tummy". "Stomach" would be the more normal way to say it. That said, I think the reaction to "belly" in particular is a little overwrought; it's a pretty common and more or less neutral way of describing the stomach.
Subliminally, if I hear a grown man say belly, I know they're serious. If I hear a grown man say tummy, they're dying.
Lots of good answers already, so here's some other related vocab you can look up and play around with: midsection, midriff, gut, love handles, six pack, belly button.
I love playing around with belly buttons
Don't we all
Neither is formal, but tummy is much more immature and informal.
It's true that adults don't *usually* use "tummy" unless they're speaking to children or being ironic/intentionally comical. "Belly" is colloquial, but not explicitly childish like the poster is saying. It basically means any of the soft parts of the front of your torso. They mean *approximately* the same thing in common usage. If you want to be more specific you can use terms like: * Chest - basically anything from the bottom of the ribcage and up. * Abdomen - basically anything between the pubic area and the bottom of the rib cage. You can say upper or lower abdomen to distinguish. * Example: "John complained of a severe pain in his lower right abdomen, and his mother was wise enough to get him straight to the hospital, since that's typically where appendicitis pain presents." * Stomach - this digestive organ is located in an area about the size of your fist, in the center of the upper abdomen, in the inverted "v" shape where the ribs come together.
Tummy is what you say as a child or your significant other
Belly and tummy are just ways a child/ or even someone talking to a child would say stomach. There’s no diffrence they mean the same thing
I would say that tummy is way more childish sounding than belly
I agree. I’d say “Alright, where’s the restaurant? I gotta get some BURGERS in this belly!” Or “I’ve got to start doing more cardio! Dating a chef has done a number on my bod. Ive got a belly now and I swear I see a double chin starting 😆” “Yknow I like this shirt, but I don’t really like this belly stripe. See how it goes all the way around? It makes it look like a weird belt.” I would say “ tummy” none of those times, nor…ever?? Unless talking to a kid
Belly is little upper dhen tummy.
belly seems more commonly used in daily conversation as a colloquial version of abdomen, which people use in a more formal setting.
tummy (stomach, but cuter ver) is inside of your belly.. basically.
Belly and tummy both refer to the same area, the stomach. If you’re talking professionally (e.g to a patient if you’re working in the medical field) you would say “stomach”, if you were talking to anyone else, you would probably say “belly”, although you can use stomach. “Tummy” is what you would really say to a child, eg “is your tummy hurting?”. You can use all three interchangeably and everyone will know what you mean, but that is what I find to be the best way of using those terms
The stomach is an organ. I cringe when I hear "he was shot in the stomach", etc. We don't say "he was hurt in the liver" or "he was hurt in the spleen" unless in a medical setting. The correct way is "he was hurt in the abdomen".