pouffe
pouffe Lexical Profile
pouffe Game Scores & Validity
• noun
British A large, firm, thickly padded cushion or low upholstered seat without a back or arms, used as a footstool or for informal seating on the floor.
"She kicked off her shoes and rested her feet on the leather pouffe in front of the armchair."
A gathered, puffed-out section of fabric on a dress or garment, or a high, bouffant roll of hair.
"The vintage evening gown featured an ornate pouffe of silk tulle at the hip."
Word Nuance & Usage
Primarily used in British English for a large floor cushion or footstool (often spelled 'pouf' in American English). Care should be taken in spoken conversation, as it is a homophone of 'poof', a derogatory British slang term.
• Rhymes for pouffe
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 18th century from French pouf, of imitative origin suggesting something puffed up or inflated, originally referring to an elaborate, towering 18th-century hairstyle before being applied to padded furniture.