whiff

1
[ wif, hwif ]
See synonyms for: whiffwhiffedwhiffingwhiffer on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a slight gust or puff of wind, air, vapor, smoke, or the like: a whiff of fresh air.

  2. a slight trace of odor or smell: a whiff of onions.

  1. a single inhalation or exhalation of air, tobacco smoke, or the like.

  2. a trace or hint: a whiff of scandal.

  3. a slight outburst: a little whiff of temper.

verb (used without object)
  1. to blow or come in whiffs or puffs, as wind or smoke.

  2. to inhale or exhale whiffs, as in smoking tobacco.

  1. Baseball Slang. (of a batter) to strike out by swinging at and missing the pitch charged as the third strike.

verb (used with object)
  1. to blow or drive with a whiff or puff, as the wind does.

  2. to inhale or exhale (air, tobacco smoke, etc.) in whiffs.

  1. to smoke (a pipe, cigar, etc.).

  2. Baseball Slang. (of a pitcher) to cause (a batter) to whiff.

Origin of whiff

1
First recorded in 1600–10; origin uncertain; perhaps a variant of Middle English noun wef, wef(f)e “bad smell, stench”

Other words from whiff

  • whiff·er, noun

Words Nearby whiff

Other definitions for whiff (2 of 2)

whiff2
[ wif, hwif ]

noun
  1. any of several flatfishes having both eyes on the left side of the head, of the genus Citharichthys, as C. cornutus(horned whiff ), inhabiting Atlantic waters from New England to Brazil.

Origin of whiff

2
First recorded in 1705–15; origin uncertain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use whiff in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for whiff (1 of 2)

whiff1

/ (wɪf) /


noun
  1. a passing odour

  2. a brief gentle gust of air

  1. a single inhalation or exhalation from the mouth or nose

verb
  1. to come, convey, or go in whiffs; puff or waft

  2. to take in or breathe out (tobacco smoke, air, etc)

  1. (tr) to sniff or smell

  2. (intr) British slang to have an unpleasant smell; stink

Origin of whiff

1
C16: of imitative origin

Derived forms of whiff

  • whiffer, noun

British Dictionary definitions for whiff (2 of 2)

whiff2

/ (wɪf) /


noun
  1. mainly British a narrow clinker-built skiff having outriggers, for one oarsman

Origin of whiff

2
C19: special use of whiff 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012