Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	TETON WESTWOOD FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Jan. 28, 2020
TETON WESTWOOD EQUITY FUND
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	TETON WESTWOOD EQUITY FUND (the "Equity Fund")
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objectives
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Equity Fund seeks to provide capital appreciation.
Objective, Secondary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectiveSecondaryTextBlock	The Equity Fund's secondary goal is to produce current income.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses of the Equity Fund:
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Equity Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you or your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in the Equity Fund’s Class A shares. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section entitled, “Classes of Shares” of the Equity Fund’s statutory prospectus, in Appendix A, “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers through Certain Intermediaries,” attached to the statutory prospectus, and in the section entitled, “Purchase and Redemption of Shares” of the Equity Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Equity Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when the Equity Fund’s shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Equity Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Equity Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 28% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	28.00%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you or your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in the Equity Fund’s Class A shares. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section entitled, “Classes of Shares” of the Equity Fund’s statutory prospectus, in Appendix A, “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers through Certain Intermediaries,” attached to the statutory prospectus, and in the section entitled, “Purchase and Redemption of Shares” of the Equity Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	$ 100,000
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Expense Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Equity Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Equity Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Equity Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares of the Equity Fund:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	Under normal market conditions, the Equity Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (which includes, for purposes of this test, the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and securities which may be converted into common stocks. The Equity Fund invests in a portfolio of seasoned companies. Seasoned companies generally have market capitalizations of $1 billion or more and have been operating for at least three years. In selecting securities, Westwood Management Corp., the Equity Fund’s sub-adviser (the “Westwood Sub-Adviser”), maintains a list of securities of issuers which it believes have proven records and potential for above-average earnings growth. It considers purchasing a security on such list if the Westwood Sub-Adviser’s forecast for growth rates and earnings exceeds Wall Street expectations. The Westwood Sub-Adviser closely monitors the issuers and will sell a stock if the Westwood Sub-Adviser expects limited future price appreciation, there is a fundamental change that negatively impacts their growth assumptions, and/or the price of the stock declines 15% in the first forty-five days held. The Equity Fund’s risk characteristics, such as beta (a measure of volatility), are generally expected to be less than those of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (the “S&P 500 Index”), the Equity Fund’s benchmark. The Equity Fund may also invest up to 25% of its total assets in foreign equity securities and in European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), including in those companies located in emerging markets. The Equity Fund may also invest in foreign debt securities.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	You may want to invest in the Fund if: you are a long term investor you seek growth of capital you seek a fund with a growth orientation as part of your overall investment plan The Equity Fund’s share price will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Equity Fund’s portfolio securities. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of the bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. When you sell Equity Fund shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them. Investing in the Equity Fund involves the following risks: Equity Market Risk.    The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, sectors or industries selected for the Equity Fund’s portfolio or the securities market as a whole, such as changes in economic or political conditions. When the value of the Equity Fund’s securities goes down, your investment in the Equity Fund decreases in value. Foreign Securities Risk.    Investments in foreign securities involve risks relating to political, social, and economic developments abroad, as well as risks resulting from the differences between the regulations to which U.S. and foreign issuers and markets are subject. These risks include expropriation, differing accounting and disclosure standards, currency exchange risks, settlement difficulties, market illiquidity, difficulties enforcing legal rights, and greater transaction costs. These risks are more pronounced in the securities of companies located in emerging markets. Management Risk.    If the portfolio managers are incorrect in their assessment of the growth prospects of the securities the Equity Fund holds, then the value of the Equity Fund’s shares could go down.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of the bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The bar chart and table that follow provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Equity Fund by showing changes in the Equity Fund’s performance from year to year, and by showing how the Equity Fund’s average annual returns for one year, five years, and ten years compared with those of a broad based securities market index. As with all mutual funds, the Equity Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not predict how the Equity Fund will perform in the future. Updated information on the Equity Fund’s results can be obtained by visiting www.gabelli.com.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart and table that follow provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Equity Fund by showing changes in the Equity Fund’s performance from year to year, and by showing how the Equity Fund’s average annual returns for one year, five years, and ten years compared with those of a broad based securities market index.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.gabelli.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	As with all mutual funds, the Equity Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not predict how the Equity Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	TETON WESTWOOD EQUITY FUND (Total returns for Class AAA Shares for the Years Ended December 31)
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block]	rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the calendar years shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 13.14% (quarter ended December 31, 2011) and the lowest return for a quarter was (17.79)% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns (for the years ended December 31, 2019, with maximum sales charge, if applicable)
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Equity Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts, including Roth IRAs and SEP IRAs (collectively, “IRAs”).
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	In some instances, the “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares” may be greater than “Return Before Taxes” because the investor is assumed to be able to use the capital loss from the sale of Equity Fund shares to offset other taxable gains.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	The returns shown for Class I shares prior to its actual inception date are those of the Class A shares of the Equity Fund. All classes of the Equity Fund would have substantially similar annual returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. In some instances, the “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares” may be greater than “Return Before Taxes” because the investor is assumed to be able to use the capital loss from the sale of Equity Fund shares to offset other taxable gains. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Equity Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts, including Roth IRAs and SEP IRAs (collectively, “IRAs”).
TETON WESTWOOD EQUITY FUND | Class AAA Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of redemption or offering price, whichever is lower)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	none
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none	[1]
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	1.00%
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.39%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.64%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 167
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	517
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	892
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,944
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	167
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	517
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	892
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 1,944
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	11.95%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(1.49%)
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	15.34%
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	29.33%
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	11.47%
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	(0.67%)
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	10.30%
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	20.23%
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	(6.68%)
2019	rr_AnnualReturn2019	26.93%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	13.14%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(17.79%)
Past One Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	26.93%
Past Five Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	9.30%
Past Ten Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.08%
TETON WESTWOOD EQUITY FUND | Class A Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	4.00%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of redemption or offering price, whichever is lower)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	none
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none	[1]
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	1.00%
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.50%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.39%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.89%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 584
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	970
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,380
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	2,523
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	584
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	970
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	1,380
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 2,523
Past One Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	21.60%
Past Five Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	8.15%
Past Ten Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	10.38%
TETON WESTWOOD EQUITY FUND | Class C Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of redemption or offering price, whichever is lower)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	1.00%
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none	[1]
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	1.00%
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.39%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	2.39%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 342
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	745
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,275
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	2,726
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	242
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	745
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	1,275
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 2,726
Past One Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	24.98%
Past Five Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	8.50%
Past Ten Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	10.26%
TETON WESTWOOD EQUITY FUND | Class I Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of redemption or offering price, whichever is lower)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	none
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none	[1]
Exchange Fee	rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	1.00%
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.39%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.39%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 142
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	440
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	761
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,669
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	142
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	440
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	761
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 1,669
Past One Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	27.27%
Past Five Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	9.58%
Past Ten Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.35%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Jan. 11, 2008
TETON WESTWOOD EQUITY FUND | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Class AAA Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Past One Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	24.21%
Past Five Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	6.79%
Past Ten Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	9.49%
TETON WESTWOOD EQUITY FUND | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class AAA Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Past One Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	17.83%
Past Five Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.00%
Past Ten Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	8.94%
TETON WESTWOOD EQUITY FUND | S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Past One Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	31.49%
Past Five Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	11.70%
Past Ten Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	13.56%

[1] (as a percentage of amount redeemed)