pouf en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /pʊf/
- /puːf/
- (US) audio
- po͝of
Etymology
From French pouf, pouff, of imitative origin; compare puff.
Meanings
- (historical) A headdress for women popular in 18th century France.
-
A high hair style for women consisting of a roll or pad of hair, worn up.
Hosaka, nearly everyone agrees, is a master of detail, an artist who tends his poodles’ poufs as if they were bonsai trees from his native Japan.
2009 February 10, Katie Thomas, “The Poodle Can’t Talk Now; She’s in With Her Stylist”, in New York Times:
- Part of an item of clothing consisting of gathered fabric in a bunch.
-
A low cushioned seat with no back; a padded footstool.
Raeburn's handsome head was resting against the back of his chair; Eve sat on a pouf in front of the fire.
1948, John Creasey, The Case Against Paul Raeburn:Pistachio and date-filled cakes glisten under a glass cloche as customers drinking cardamom tea settle into brightly tapestried pouf chairs at the Pouya café and cultural center in Paris.
2025 June 27, Colette Davidson, Mark Sappenfield, “For Iranian diaspora in Europe, the war back home is a dilemma”, in The Christian Science Monitor:Italian Ambassador Amedeo Guillet, who makes it a practice never to eat at midday, lounged on a Moroccan pouf reading The Peter Principle.
1971 August 26, “Slaughter at the Summer Palace”, in Time:The voice came from the end of the divan but Hermione, seated square before the fire on a low pouffe did not turn to face its suave producer.
1922, H.D., Asphodel:
- A short skirt gathered into a rounded puffy shape; a puffball.
- A ball of fabric (such as nylon monofilament netting) used for washing (as an alternative to a flannel, washcloth, sponge, etc.).
- (dated) A small saddle cushion worn atop the buttocks (as a fashion trend – similar to a bustle).
-
(alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of puff
alt of puff
-
(alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of poof.
alt of poof
The same sort of blatant hypocrisy manifest in a tabloid paper notorious for its daily combination of a topless female centerfold with articles condemning the "immorality" of "poufs" and "queers."
1988 August 20, Chris Reed, “The English 'Strip-tique'”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 6, page 16:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| poufs | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| pouffe | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Descendants
Synonyms
poofta (homosexual) · footstool (padded footstool) · poof (homosexual) · hassock (padded footstool) · tumpty · horse's hoof (homosexual) · poofter (homosexual) · tumpty (padded footstool) · ottoman (padded footstool) · pooftah (homosexual)
Translations (11)
cs taburet (padded footstool) · tr puf (padded footstool) · pt pufe (padded footstool) · pl puf (padded footstool) · hu puff (padded footstool) · it puf (padded footstool) · nl poef (padded footstool) · fr pouf (padded footstool) · cy pwff (padded footstool) · pt banco estofado (para pés) (padded footstool) · bg табуретка (padded footstool)