plural puffers
1
: any of a family (Tetraodontidae) of chiefly tropical scaleless marine bony fishes which can distend themselves to a globular form and most of which are highly poisonous : puffer fish
2
: a garment (such as a jacket) made of heavy quilted material
Yet this flood of fashion has a downside. … Can you layer a puffer over a suit without looking, well, portly?—
Jacob Gallagher
—often used before another nounJacob GallagherRoche, a slightly unkempt 54-year-old, wore black ski pants, a puffer jacket and sunglasses.—Irina Aleksander
Irina AleksanderThe new men's look … incorporates sporty items such as hoodies, puffer vests or jackets, camouflage patterns, sneakers, polo shirts and bomber jackets.—Ray A. Smith
Ray A. SmithOnce destined only for … occasions where highly practical (but often ugly) outerwear is required, the puffer coat has now infiltrated the world of high fashion.—Otago (New Zealand) Daily Times (online)
Otago (New Zealand) Daily Times (online)These makers seem to be in alignment; the puffer scarf is the practical and stylish answer to frigid weather.—Rachel Besser
Rachel Besser3
: someone or something that puffs
Surrounded by two-pack-a-day cigarette puffers, he was a cigar smoker.—Russell Baker
Russell BakerWhen it's wet or humid, lubricate sticky locks with a graphite puffer or talcum.—Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming
Shannon Lush and Jennifer FlemingExamples of puffer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The dainty print on the puffer coat, for example, features ghostly figures flying through ranunculus in the nude, and a print from last season incorporates creatures that are part-woman and part-swan.
—Kate Guadagnino, New York Times, 7 May 2024
Over six months, the hospital went from 70% of patients using the puffers, to 30%.
—Martha Bebinger, NPR, 6 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for puffer 
Kate Guadagnino, New York Times, 7 May 2024
Over six months, the hospital went from 70% of patients using the puffers, to 30%.
—Martha Bebinger, NPR, 6 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for puffer
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'puffer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Puffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puffer. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
puffer
noun
puff·er
ˈpəf-ər 
1
: one that puffs
2
Medical Definition
puffer
noun
puff·er
ˈpəf-ər
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