puffer

American  

[puhf-er] / ˈpʌf ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that puffs.

2. Also called blowfish, globefish.  any of various fishes of the family Tetraodontidae, capable of inflating the body with water or air until it resembles a globe, the spines in the skin becoming erected: several species contain the potent nerve poison tetrodotoxin.

3. a warm and lightweight jacket, coat, or vest with sections separated by quilted stitching and filled with down or synthetic fibers.

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puffer British  

/ ˈpʌfə /

noun

1. a person or thing that puffs

2. Also called: globefish.  any marine plectognath fish of the family Tetraodontidae, having an elongated spiny body that can be inflated to form a globe

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Etymology

Origin of puffer

First recorded in 1620–30; puff + -er ¹

Example Sentences

It shows the singer sitting on a stool wearing a polka dot puffer jacket and boots revealing a tattoo on her left leg.

From BBC

The patch of bus-stop snow that’s turned the color of weak coffee, shared democratically with a pack of teenage boys wearing basketball shorts under their puffer coats.

From Salon

“Chuck is failing us all,” said Paul Wisor, grim-faced and wearing a blue puffer jacket, as he stood before the council and a packed room of residents.

From The Wall Street Journal

The maker of high-end outerwear and apparel, which is best known for its puffer jackets, said the accelerating trend seen in last year’s final quarter carried into 2026 to date.

From The Wall Street Journal

Volunteers walked around venues in bright yellow branded puffers, while Charli xcx fans rocked Brat Green beanies from the premiere of “The Moment,” one of three films she appeared in.

From The Wall Street Journal