# Tommy

/ˈtɑmi/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tommy
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. British soldier

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Informal · Archaic

a common name for a private soldier in the British Army, especially during the First and Second World Wars.

For teachers: a colloquial term for a private in the British Army, derived from the placeholder name 'Tommy Atkins' used in official manuals.

- The old letters described the difficult life of a typical Tommy in the trenches.
- War memorials across the country often feature a bronze statue of a weary Tommy, head bowed in reflection of the heavy losses sustained in the Great War.

Usage: Usually used as a countable noun; often capitalized.

Teaching tip: This term is largely historical now; modern speakers would simply say 'soldier' unless specifically discussing the World Wars.

### 2. a nickname

noun · CEFR A1 · Informal

a short or friendly name for a man named Thomas.

For teachers: a common hypocoristic or diminutive form of the male given name Thomas.

- Everyone in the neighborhood knows little Tommy and his dog.
- While he went by Thomas in professional circles, his childhood friends still addressed him as Tommy during their annual reunions.

### 3. a submachine gun

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Slang

a short name for a Tommy gun, a type of fast-shooting gun used in the past.

For teachers: a colloquial abbreviation for the Thompson submachine gun, frequently associated with mid-20th-century American crime and military history.

- The old gangster movies always show the characters carrying a tommy in a violin case.
- The rapid fire of the tommy became a signature sound of the prohibition-era gang wars in Chicago.

## Examples

- The old letters were written by a young Tommy in France.
- During the Great War, the image of the resilient Tommy became a symbol of national endurance in British propaganda.
- While the term originated in the 18th century, it was the industrial-scale warfare of the 20th century that cemented the Tommy as a cultural archetype of the stoic, working-class infantryman.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.