whiff

¹ American  

[hwif, wif] / ʰwɪf, wɪf /

noun

1. a trace or hint.

   a whiff of scandal.

2. a slight trace of odor or smell.

   a whiff of onions.

3. a slight gust or puff of wind, air, vapor, smoke, or the like.

   a whiff of fresh air.

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

   I tried smoking once, but had a coughing fit after the first whiff and gave up.

5. a slight outburst.

   a little whiff of temper.

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verb (used without object)

1. to blow or come in light puffs, such as of wind or smoke.

   A breeze whiffed through the clearing, cooling our faces.

2. to inhale or exhale in light puffs, such as when smoking tobacco.

   She was sitting on the porch, whiffing on a cigarette.

3. to move swiftly through the air, creating a slight breeze or swishing sound.

   The ball whiffed past my head and into the net.

4. Baseball.

   1. to swing without hitting the ball.

      He’s whiffed at 30 percent of pitches this season.

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

5. Informal. to fail in an effort or get something wrong.

   This economic think tank has whiffed on every prediction for the last decade.

verb (used with object)

1. to blow or drive with light puffs, as the wind does.

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

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

4. Baseball. (of a pitcher) to cause (a batter) to swing at a pitch and miss or to strike out.

5. Informal. to fail at or in; get wrong.

   The book had a great beginning, but lost steam as it progressed, and totally whiffed the ending.

   He’s whiffed every opportunity we gave him.

6. to catch a slight scent or hint of; sniff; smell.

   I broke a small branch off the lilac bush and whiffed the blooms as I walked.

whiff ² American  

[hwif, wif] / ʰwɪf, wɪf /

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.

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whiff ¹ British  

/ wɪf /

noun

1. a passing odour

2. a brief gentle gust of air

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

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verb

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

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

3. (tr) to sniff or smell

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

whiff ² British  

/ wɪf /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• whiffer noun

Etymology

Origin of whiff¹

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

Origin of whiff²

First recorded in 1705–15; origin uncertain

Explanation

A whiff can mean the hint of something you smell. When you drive past the sewage treatment plant and suddenly roll up your car windows, it's usually because you've gotten a whiff of the plant's special odor. Whiff can be used as either a noun or verb, and it implies a brief or small puff or sniff. A person can have "a whiff of the exotic," which means they are living like the rest of us, but there is a little something about them that seems foreign or different. Sometimes, of course, odors are so overpowering that a small sniff is all you need: "Take a whiff of this," your friend might say to you, holding out a carton of sour milk. In that case, one whiff will be more than enough.

Example Sentences

A whiff of Cynthia’s signature scent, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, helped her remember her mom.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

There are moments when guests will get a whiff of a fragrance that pairs with the storyline.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

But even the mere whiff of it is giving bank investors fits.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

“But as money rotates into more insulated sectors, anything with even a whiff of disruption risk is getting hit. That creates potential opportunity for some investors, while others will stick with slow-and-steady indexing.”

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

To see it in person was just as shocking on my system as a whiff of smelling salts.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• aroma
• breath
• fume
• hint
• odor
• puff
• scent