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A plaything is an object of very little value that exists merely as a source of amusement for someone, to be used at their whim and then quickly discarded. The term originated in the 19th century when it was used to describe various homemade toys given to toddlers as a means to amuse them temporarily, thus keeping them out of an adult's way.

In the 1970s, the term "plaything" saw a resurgence in the sexual revolution to describe someone who was a sex object to another person and existed for no other purpose than to give the person sexual pleasure. Calling a person a plaything could also mean that the person has no other purpose than to provide amusement to another. The original infantile definition has all but disappeared from modern vocabulary.

In porn industry, "Plaything" is applied to a type of interactive DVDs in which the viewer can play with the main actress, giving her orders about positions or sexual acts.

In the science fiction series Doctor Who, an alien, Sutekh offers to give the Doctor the Earth as a plaything in the episode Pyramids of Mars. Doctor Who declines and destroys the alien. This is one of several appearances of the word plaything in modern media.