Finesentence

Puff Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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puff

puff

🇺🇸 /ˈpəf/ · 🇬🇧 /pˈʌf/

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

in cooking

A small, light, round piece of bread filled with cream or jam, typically eaten as a dessert.

Synonyms

cream puff, profiterole.

Examples of usage

  • She made delicious cream puffs for dessert.
  • Would you like a puff with your coffee?
Context #2 | Noun

smoke

A short, explosive burst of breath or wind.

Synonyms

breath, exhalation.

Examples of usage

  • He took a puff on his cigarette.
  • A puff of smoke rose from the chimney.
Context #3 | Verb

smoke

To draw in and exhale the smoke from a cigarette or pipe.

Synonyms

inhale, smoke.

Examples of usage

  • He sat puffing on his pipe.
  • She puffed on her cigarette nervously.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Quick facts about “puff”

Puff is a 1-syllable noun and verb. It is pronounced /ˈpəf/ in American English and /pˈʌf/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 3 meanings, 6 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #15,133 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'puff'

The word 'puff' originated in the late Middle English period, derived from the Old English word 'pyffan', meaning to breathe out forcefully. Over time, it evolved to encompass various meanings related to light, airy objects and short bursts of breath. The culinary usage of 'puff' in reference to a small pastry filled with cream or jam dates back to the 17th century. In the context of smoking, 'puff' has been used since the 19th century to describe the action of drawing in and exhaling smoke from a pipe or cigarette.

See also: puffed, puffer, puffiness, puffy.

Rhymes

Puff rhymes with duff, tuff, enough, rough, stuff, tough, buff and bluff.

See all rhymes →

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #15,133, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.