What does beanbag mean?
A beanbag is a soft, unstructured bag filled with dried beans, polystyrene beads, or similar loose material. In its most familiar modern sense, it refers to a large cushioned seat that conforms to the shape of whoever sits in it, prized for casual comfort in living rooms, dorms, and playrooms. In an older and still current sense, a beanbag is a small palm-sized pouch used as a projectile in children's games, most famously in beanbag toss and cornhole. The word carries a relaxed, informal connotation, often associated with youth culture and laid-back interiors. The term arose simply from 'bean' plus 'bag', reflecting the original filling of dried beans, though modern versions use synthetic pellets. Both practical and playful, the word evokes comfort without formality.
nounA small bag filled with dried beans, plastic pellets, or similar material, used as a toy or for tossing games; also, a large soft cushioned seat in this form, typically moulding to the sitter's body.
- A large soft seat consisting of a sealed bag filled with polystyrene beads or similar filler that moulds to the body.
- A small bag filled with beans or pellets, used in children's games such as beanbag toss or cornhole.
"She sank into the beanbag with her laptop and a cup of tea."
"The kids flopped onto the beanbag to watch cartoons."
"Each player must toss the beanbag onto the opposite board to score."
Regular plural; used for both the furniture and the small game pieces.
"The lounge was scattered with several oversized beanbags."
The beanbag was an accident of design — Italian designers in 1968 stuffed a vinyl sack with pellets meant to be shaped by hand, and it moulded itself into the world's most relaxed chair.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of beanbag
Beanbag is a straightforward English compound of 'bean' (from Old English 'bēan') and 'bag' (from Old Norse 'baggi'), combining two ancient words into a term first recorded in the 19th century. The word originally described small pouches filled with beans used in games and target practice. Its meaning expanded dramatically in the late 1960s when Italian designers created the 'Sacco' chair — a pellett-filled vinyl seat that became an icon of informal design — giving rise to the now-dominant sense of a mouldable piece of furniture. No true cognates exist beyond the shared Germanic roots of its components.
Usage notes
Informal register throughout. In American English, 'beanbag chair' is common for the furniture sense, and 'cornhole' names the popular lawn game played with beanbags.
Don't confuse with
A handbag is a small bag for carrying personal items, whereas a beanbag is a padded bag filled with beans or pellets used as a seat or toy.