gumball

[ guhm-bawl ]

noun

1. a brightly colored ball of sugar-coated chewing gum.

Word History and Origins

Origin of gumball¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; gum ¹ + ball ¹

Example Sentences

Items for repair include old toys and games, mechanical coin banks, hand-cranked coffee grinders — most restorers seem to have done one of those — locks, furniture, pinball machines, gumball machines, espresso makers, typewriters, pencil sharpeners, cash registers, leather goods, artworks, knives, guns, shoes and all sorts of gizmos and gadgets from the predigital age.

From Los Angeles Times

Savannah, who continues to voice support for her parents and challenge their case, delivered a rocky solo of the Tokens’ ”The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and ultimately lost to her Gumball machine-costumed competitor in a performance of “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Donald Trump is kind of a human gumball machine, which is a thought or a notion comes in and it out comes out of his mouth. There’s not a lot of filter that goes on.”

From Washington Times

“When I was a kid, there was something called a gumball machine.You could put a penny in and a gumball would come out. It was automatic, there was no filter,” Mr. Romney said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

From Washington Times

While Nadine put her quarter into the gumball machine, George tiptoed toward her.

From Literature