Tamagotchi, n.
Brit. /taməˈgɒtʃi/, U.S. /ˌtɑməˈgɑtʃi/
Also with lower-case initial.[Plural unchanged] -s
Forms: 19– Tamagocchi, 19– Tamagochi, 19– Tamagotch, 19– Tamagotchi, 19– Tamogochi[irreg.], 19– Tamogotchi[irreg.]
[‹ Japanese Tamagotchi > n., watch v.).
The toy was created by Aki Maita. The name was chosen by Japanese schoolgirls from a shortlist presented by market researchers from the manufacturers, Bandai, in early spring 1996. In Japanese teenage slang, -tchi is used as a hypocoristic suffix, and this probably helps to explain the glosses ‘lovable egg’ and ‘cute little egg’ given in some English sources.]
A proprietary name for: an egg-shaped hand-held electronic toy featuring a pet whose animated image is displayed on a small screen, and which can be cared for and responded to (by pushing buttons) as if it were a real pet. Also: the animated pet itself. Cf. virtual pet n. at virtual adj. Additions
| 1997 Toronto Star 23 Jan. a3/3 The tamagocchi starts life as an endearing, bird-like image on the screen of an egg-shaped key-ring device. 1997 Mirror 14 July 7/1 Cyberpet owner Kelly Boyd has kept her Tamagotchi alive a record 69 days. 2002 CGI Nov. 20/1 A bloc [sc. a type of interactive computer art] is a bit like a Tamagotchi in so far as you have to interact with it. |