Standard Lemma guide

puffy

adj · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈpʌfi/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌfi
  • CMU ARPABET: P AH1 F IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Swollen or inflated in shape, as if filled with air; pillow-like.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Coming or exhaling in puffs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • puffy breath
  • A puffy fat man in a tracksuit came jogging around the corner.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Speaking or writing in an exaggeratedly eloquent and self-important manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Having inflated cheeks.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

blowing in puffs or short intermittent blasts

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • puffy off-shore winds
  • gusty winds

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gusty

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • hungry children with bloated stomachs
  • he had a grossly distended stomach
  • eyes with puffed (or puffy) lids
  • swollen hands
  • tumescent tissue
  • puffy tumid flesh

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: intumescent, tumescent, tumid, turgid

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

being puffed out; used of hair style or clothing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a bouffant skirt

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bouffant

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From puff + -y.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: bouffi — inflated
  • French: enflé — inflated
  • French: rebondi — inflated
  • Hungarian: táskás — inflated
  • Spanish: inflado — inflated
  • Ottoman Turkish: شیش (şiş) — inflated
  • Vietnamese: sưng vù — inflated
  • Bulgarian: надут (nadut) — exaggeratedly eloquent speaking or writing
  • Bulgarian: високопарен (visokoparen) — exaggeratedly eloquent speaking or writing
  • French: boursouflé — exaggeratedly eloquent speaking or writing
  • Macedonian: високо́парен (visokóparen) — exaggeratedly eloquent speaking or writing
  • Russian: напы́щенный (napýščennyj) — exaggeratedly eloquent speaking or writing
  • Spanish: expresivo — exaggeratedly eloquent speaking or writing