A Slinky is a toy known for it's coiled, spring-like shape and its ability to walk downstairs.

Slinkys are called Slinkys because the name was coined by Betty James, the wife of the toy's inventor, who found the word in a dictionary and felt it perfectly described the toy's graceful and sinuous movement. The word "slinky" means "sleek and graceful in movement or outline," which aptly fits the way the spring tumbles down stairs and expands and collapses.