body pillow

Noun

body pillow (plural body pillows)

1. A long body-length pillow that can be held or wrapped around one's body while sleeping, typically used for orthopedic purposes.
   • Between the five full-sized pillows and the four-foot body pillow my wife slept with, there was little room for me. I pretended to grow resentful of the body pillow and named him Fred, because I told my wife it was like having a four-foot man in our bed.2000, Bradley G. Richardson, Daddy Smarts: A Guide for Rookie Fathers, Taylor Trade Publishing, →ISBN, page 61
   • You can tuck the body pillow around your body in various places, which makes finding a comfortable position easier.2012, Jane Palmer, Joanne Stone, Keith Eddleman, Mary Duenwald, Pregnancy for Dummies, Wiley, →ISBN, unnumbered page

   Synonyms:

   Dutch wife

2. (broadly) An elongated pillow depicting a character from popular media, including anime and manga, video games, and animation franchises, serving as both a comforting sleep accessories and as an item for fandom expression.
   • Once you think the Japanese voice acting is superior to the English voice acting, or have purchased a body pillow/mousepad with boobs of an anime character, or have tried to cosplay as your favorite anime character, you can rest assured that you are now an Anime geek.2012, Alex Langley, The Geek Handbook: Practical Skills and Advice for the Likeable Modern Geek, Krause Publications, →ISBN, page 25

   Synonyms:

   dakimakura, love pillow, waifu pillow