Etymology

couch potato

Today it means: A person who spends a lot of time sitting or lying down, often watching television, eating snacks or drinking alcohol. Full definition →

First used 1976
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The story

From couch + potato; coined by Tom Iacino in 1976 as a pun on boob tuber (from boob tube (“television”) and tuber (“potato”)); trademarked by Robert Armstrong from 1976–91.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 1976 A person who spends a lot of time sitting or lying down, often watching television, eating snacks or drinking alcohol.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.