Word Origin
a high headdress with the hair rolled in puffs, worn by women in the late 18th century. an arrangement of the hair over a pad; puff . a puff of material as an ornament on a dress or headdress. Also pouffe. a broad, backless, usually round, cushionlike seat, often large enough for several people. Show More
Origin of pouf 1 From
French, dating back to
1810–20; see origin at
puff Related forms poufed , pouffed , adjective pouf·y , pouf·fy , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for pouffy a large solid cushion, usually cylindrical or cubic in shape, used as a seat a woman's hair style, fashionable esp in the 18th century, in which the hair is piled up in rolled puffs a pad set in the hair to make such puffs a stuffed pad worn under panniers (pʊf , puːf ) British derogatory , slang less common spellings of poof Show More
Word Origin for pouf C19: from French; see puff
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for pouffy n. "style of elaborate female head-dress," 1817 (in reference to styles of c.1780), from French bouffer "to blow out, puff," probably of imitative origin. In dress-making, recorded from 1869; in reference to over-stuffed cushions, 1884. As a verb by 1882 (implied in pouffed ).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
