Couch potato
Meaning
A person who spends a lot of time sitting or lying on a couch, watching television, and doing very little physical activity.
Origin
The vivid image of a person rooted to their sofa, absorbing television, emerged in 1976. The term "couch potato" was coined by Tom Iacino, a friend of cartoonist Robert Armstrong, who used it to describe someone like himself, content to spend hours slumped on the couch. Armstrong, captivated by the phrase's humorous accuracy, swiftly popularized it through a series of cartoons and a "Couch Potatoes Anonymous" club, complete with a newsletter. This playful yet pointed term quickly embedded itself into the American lexicon, defining a generation's pursuit of televised leisure.
Examples
- After a long week at work, all John wanted to do was be a couch potato and binge-watch his favorite series.
- My doctor told me I need to stop being such a couch potato and start exercising more to improve my health.