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What does “peluche” mean in Spanish?

In Spanish, peluche is the soft, cuddly toy — the teddy bear, the stuffed bunny, the plush elephant. English speakers often stumble here: “plush” in English is the fabric or an adjective meaning luxurious, but peluche names the finished toy. The word came into Spanish via French peluche (shaggy fabric), borrowed from Latin pilus (hair), but Spanish speakers landed on the toy, not the material.

In a Christmas-scene lesson, the instructor points to Santa Claus and notes that in one hand he holds a gift (un regalo) and in the other un peluche, un osito de color morado — a purple little bear. Naming the object and describing it in the same breath makes the word stick fast. Beyond toys, you’ll hear de peluche as a modifier: un oso de peluche (a teddy bear, literally a bear of plush). At A1, peluche is easy to remember once you picture Santa holding that specific purple bear.