tuft

American  

[tuhft] / tʌft /

noun

tufts plural

1. a bunch or cluster of small, usually soft and flexible parts, as feathers or hairs, attached or fixed closely together at the base and loose at the upper ends.

2. a cluster of short, fluffy threads, used to decorate cloth, as for a bedspread, robe, bath mat, or window curtain.

3. a cluster of cut threads, used as a decorative finish attached to the tying or holding threads of mattresses, quilts, upholstery, etc.

4. a covered or finished button designed for similar use.

5. a cluster of short-stalked flowers, leaves, etc., growing from a common point.

6. a small clump of bushes, trees, etc.

7. a gold tassel on the cap formerly worn at English universities by titled undergraduates.

8. a titled undergraduate at an English university.

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verb (used with object)

1. to furnish or decorate with a tuft or tufts.

2. to arrange in a tuft or tufts.

3. Upholstery. to draw together (a cushion or the like) by passing a thread through at regular intervals, the depressions thus produced being usually ornamented with tufts or buttons.

verb (used without object)

1. to form into or grow in a tuft or tufts.

tuft British  

/ tʌft /

noun

1. a bunch of feathers, grass, hair, etc, held together at the base

2. a cluster of threads drawn tightly through upholstery, a mattress, a quilt, etc, to secure and strengthen the padding

3. a small clump of trees or bushes

4. (formerly) a gold tassel on the cap worn by titled undergraduates at English universities

5. a person entitled to wear such a tassel

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verb

1. (tr) to provide or decorate with a tuft or tufts

2. to form or be formed into tufts

3. to secure and strengthen (a mattress, quilt, etc) with tufts

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tufter
  noun
• tufty
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tufts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tuft

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, variant of toft(e), from Middle French tofe, toffe, of uncertain origin; English excrescent t as in against

Explanation

A tuft is a clump or a bunch of something soft and feathery, like a fluffy tuft of fur on your puppy's head. Your patchy front lawn might consist of tufts of weeds surrounded by mud, and your teenage brother's attempt at a beard may be nothing more than a little tuft on his chin. The original definition of tuft, "a bunch of soft and flexible things fixed at the base with the upper ends loose," sounds like a bouquet of grass. Experts guess that tuft comes from the Old French touffe, "tuft of hair."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tuft tufts

"Controlling the outputs of tuft cells could be a way to control some of the physiologic responses associated with these infections," Locksley said, noting that the implications may extend beyond parasites.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 28, 2026

At first, tuft cells release a short burst of acetylcholine.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 28, 2026

In contrast, mice that lacked the ability to produce acetylcholine in their tuft cells continued eating normally.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 28, 2026

"He forgot the eyes at first, so we got him a carrot, put the nose on and he put some eyes on and gave it a little hair tuft," she explained.

From BBC ● Jan. 7, 2025

His head was shaved except for a tuft that ran the distance from his forehead to his neck.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

All seven members - Maya, Juria, Hinata, Harvey, Cocona, Chisa and Jurin - are dressed in vibrant neon outfits that erupt with tufts of faux fur and intricate belt buckles.

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

Gray, black and white feathers and tufts littered the lawn.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

In South Korea, a playful green cartoon dinosaur named Dooly, known for the two small tufts of hair on his head, has been a favorite for generations.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 1, 2026

And after the rains, some have already begun to leaf — welcome tufts of green to the charred landscape.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2025

She appeared to be searching for fleas in Bloomberg’s coat, her fingers very busy indeed turning back tufts of fur.

From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger