The word "puffy" is spelled with two consonants, "p" and "f", followed by a double consonant, "ff", and ending with a vowel, "y". In IPA phonetic transcription, "p" is represented as /p/, "f" as /f/, "ff" as /f f/, and "y" as /i/. The pronunciation of this word is /ˈpʌfi/. The word is commonly used to describe something that is swollen or inflated, such as a puffy jacket or puffy eyes.
Puffy is an adjective that describes something or someone with a swollen, inflated, or bulging appearance. It typically refers to a certain level of puffiness, which indicates that the object or person is swollen or filled with air or fluid, causing a rounded, plump, or swollen impression.
Frequently, the term is used to describe physical characteristics, such as a puffy face, which suggests temporary swelling due to various factors like allergies, crying, inflammation, or sleep deprivation. Similarly, puffy eyes describe a condition where the area around the eyes appears swollen or inflated, which can be attributed to lack of sleep, excessive crying, fatigue, or allergies.
In relation to clothing or fabrics, puffy refers to a garment or a material that is filled with air or a filler substance, achieving a rounded or bulging shape. Puffy jackets or coats, for instance, are often filled with down feathers or synthetic insulation, creating a quilted or padded appearance for warmth and insulation. Similarly, puffy sleeves describe a voluminous or inflated style of sleeves, often characterized by excess fabric or layering.
Overall, the term puffy represents a visual or physical impression of roundness, plumpness, or swelling. Its usage extends to various contexts, including physical appearances, clothing, fabrics, and objects, effectively describing an inflated or swollen presence.
Swelled with air or other light matter; tumid with a soft substance; windy; bombastic.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "puffy" comes from the Middle English term "puf" or "puff", which was derived from the Old English word "pyffan". In both cases, the word referred to a blowing or puffing sound. Over time, the term "puffy" began to describe things that were swollen or bloated, eventually evolving to describe anything that appeared soft, swollen, or full of air, such as puffed-up pastries or puffy clouds.