tuft

American  

[tuhft] / tʌft /

noun

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

• tufter noun
• tufty adjective

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

As the immune response builds and tuft cells increase in number, they begin producing a slower, sustained release of the same signal.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

When the tuft cells were exposed to succinate, a compound released by parasitic worms, the nearby sensor cells lit up.

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

In it is a tuft of Mason's hair and she then shows everyone his handprints, made following his death.

From BBC • Dec. 21, 2024

However, there was that new tuft of plants in that one forest clearing.

From "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown