action figure

noun

1. a toy figure with jointed, movable limbs, representing a character in a cartoon, movie, etc., or a real person or animal, often one known for exciting action or extraordinary powers.

action figure

noun

1. a small figure of a character from a film, television programme, comic book etc, designed as a toy and often collected by enthusiasts

Word History and Origins

Origin of action figure¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Craigslist ad that raised eyebrows was posted in February, titled “White Boba Fett Action Figure.”

From Los Angeles Times

And the action figure was “pure.”

From Los Angeles Times

A smattering of Ace Ventura and a lot of those ’80s action figure guys.

From New York Times

“Especially with my music, I wanna be timeless and when I think about low riders, they’re timeless. They’re embedded in L.A. history and culture, so it’s kind of like having an action figure that represents your lineage.”

From Los Angeles Times

“A lot of collectors in the ‘Star Wars’ action figure world use those because they’re inexpensive and easy to light up,” Merrill says.

From Seattle Times