whiff
whiff Lexical Profile
whiff Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A faint, brief smell or odor carried on the air, or a single inhalation of smoke, gas, or vapor.
"As she walked past the bakery, she caught a delightful whiff of freshly baked cinnamon rolls."
A faint trace, hint, or suggestion of a quality, condition, or impending event.
"The committee resigned immediately after the first whiff of financial scandal emerged."
A slight puff, gust, or current of air, wind, or smoke.
"A sudden whiff of wind blew the papers off the garden table."
North American In sports such as baseball or golf, an instance of swinging at and completely missing the ball, or an outright failure.
"The pitcher ended the inning with a fastball that resulted in an awkward whiff by the batter."
Any of various marine flatfishes, especially the megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) native to the northeastern Atlantic or American species of the genus Citharichthys.
"The commercial trawler hauled in a net containing sole, plaice, and several European whiffs."
• verb
North American To swing at and completely miss a ball in sports, or to fail utterly at an attempt or task.
"He whiffed on the final question of the trivia competition, costing his team the championship."
To smell or catch a brief scent of something, or to emit an unpleasant odor.
"The dog paused on the trail to whiff the air for any sign of wildlife."
To blow, waft, or carry lightly as or in a slight puff of air or smoke.
"A gentle coastal breeze whiffed the fragrance of jasmine through the open window."
• Rhymes for whiff
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 16th century, the word is of imitative origin, mimicking the sound of a soft puff or gentle blow of air.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.