arm candy

English edit

Presumably derived from eye candy; the term has been attested in the USA since 1992.^[1]

arm candy (uncountable)

(idiomatic) An attractive, seemingly romantic companion who accompanies a person in public simply so that one or both of the individuals can gain attention, enhance social status, or create an impression of sexual appeal.
Synonym: armpiece
- 1992 August 21, Marcia Froelke Coburn, “Marilyn’s enduring appeal”, in Chicago Tribune‎^[1], archived from the original on 4 March 2016:
  All About Eve (1950, FoxVideo). [Marilyn Monroe had] already had mini-roles in eight movies when she turned up as George Sanders' arm candy in the party scenes of this film.
- 2003 February 17, Jeffrey Ressner, “Shot on location”, in Time‎^[2], archived from the original on 17 April 2016:
  Friends described her as always ready to serve as "arm candy"—that is, a pretty date—to industry players, in hopes of landing a role.
- 2023 March 17, Ryan Gilbey, quoting Alexander Skarsgård, “Alexander Skarsgård: ‘There’s a politeness to Swedes. It’s a facade. Deep down we’re animals’”, in The Guardian‎^[3], →ISSN:
  James is arm candy. His wife buys him all these expensive clothes. The two of them look like something out of a travel brochure: the perfect couple on vacation.
(rare) A luxury wristwatch or some other accessory worn on the wrist.
- 2016 March, “Do You”, in Ebony, page 50:
  Beyond just looking the part, this arm candy is a world-class piece of technology.

^ Paul McFedries (1999 January 22) “arm candy”, in Word Spy, Logophilia Limited, retrieved 4 June 2017.