whoopee cushion

or whoopie cushion

noun

1. a type of cushion or pillow used as a practical joke that, when sat upon, produces a loud noise resembling flatulence.

whoopee cushion

noun

1. a joke cushion that emits a sound like the breaking of wind when someone sits on it

Word History and Origins

Origin of whoopee cushion¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Hardly any of the characters — including, most inexcusably, the Devil herself — feel fleshed out, and the conflicts tend to sputter out with all the drama of a sat-upon whoopee cushion.

From Washington Post

Fifteen-time “SNL” host Martin returned to the show this weekend to support his “Only Murders in the Building” co-star, Gomez, by appearing in a digital short about the inventor of the whoopee cushion.

From Los Angeles Times

Either toss a banana peel down the aisle as the president walks in, slip a whoopee cushion under the vice president’s seat, or sit quietly and watch the speech.

From Slate

The Song Dynasty steamed bun is a low, unfilled dome the size of a whoopee cushion, stamped with the restaurant’s name in red Chinese characters; it’s completely plain and completely pleasurable, alone or dipped into its syrupy sauce.

From New York Times

Whoopi Goldberg’s first name evokes childlike glee and derives from her flatulent sonic proximity to a whoopee cushion, and yet, she is still and just Whoopi, whose name people probably have said during sex.

From Slate