chaff

¹ American  

[chaf, chahf] / tʃæf, tʃɑf /

noun

1. the husks of grains and grasses that are separated during threshing.

2. straw cut up for fodder.

3. worthless matter; refuse.

4. the membranous, usually dry, brittle bracts of the flowers of certain plants.

5. Also called window.  Military. strips of metal foil dropped by an aircraft to confuse enemy radar by creating false blips.

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chaff ² American  

[chaf, chahf] / tʃæf, tʃɑf /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to mock, tease, or jest in a good-natured way; banter.

   She chaffed him for working late. They joked and chaffed with each other.

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noun

1. good-natured ridicule or teasing; raillery.

chaff ¹ British  

/ tʃɑːf /

noun

1. the mass of husks, etc, separated from the seeds during threshing

2. finely cut straw and hay used to feed cattle

3. something of little worth; rubbish (esp in the phrase separate the wheat from the chaff )

4. the dry membranous bracts enclosing the flowers of certain composite plants

5. thin strips of metallic foil released into the earth's atmosphere to confuse radar signals and prevent detection

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chaff ² British  

/ tʃɑːf /

noun

1. light-hearted teasing or joking; banter

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verb

1. to tease good-naturedly; banter

Other Word Forms

• chaffer noun
• chaffingly adverb
• chaffless adjective
• chafflike adjective
• chaffy adjective
• unchaffed adjective
• unchaffing adjective

Etymology

Origin of chaff¹

before 1000; Middle English chaf, Old English ceaf; cognate with Middle Low German, Dutch kaf

Origin of chaff²

First recorded in 1640–50; perhaps from chaff ¹

Explanation

The proverbial phrase "separate the wheat from the chaff" may not be terribly meaningful to you — unless you happen to be a grain farmer. The chaff is the husk surrounding a seed, the part of the grain that is generally thrown away. In cereal crops like rice, barley, oats, and wheat, the seed — the part of the plant that we eat — is surrounded by a husk. This waste material has been called chaff since the twelfth century at least, but the word has a long history as a metaphor meaning "objects and ideas of little or no value," as well. The Internet is full of misinformation as well as facts so you might have a hard time separating the wheat from the chaff. Their nasty comments are just a lot of chaff — don't even listen to them.

Example Sentences

It may do better to address the chaff of quarterly earnings guidance.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Seven hundred reviewers will attempt to separate the wheat from the chaff, while 1,300 arts industry professionals will scour the city for shows to take on tour, or make into television.

From BBC • Aug. 1, 2024

The judge’s task will be to separate impartial-juror wheat from sleeper-cell chaff.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2024

For centuries, the process of milling rice — white or brown, sticky or sweet — produced bran, chaff and dust, and storing it brought vermin, fungi and spoilage.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 13, 2024

A woman stood at the edge of the clearing pouring grain from one bark platter to another, and the loose chaff drifted off on the slight wind like smoke.

From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford