duff

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈdəf 

1

: a boiled or steamed pudding often containing dried fruit

2

: the partly decayed organic matter on the forest floor

3

: fine coal : slack

duff

2 of 3

noun (2)

: buttocks

get off your duff

duff

3 of 3

adjective

British

: inferior, worthless

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• backside
• behind
• booty [slang]
• bootie
• bottom
• breech
• bum
• buns
• butt
• buttocks
• caboose
• can
• cheeks
• derriere
• derrière
• fanny
• fundament
• hams
• haunches
• heinie [slang]
• hunkers
• keister [slang]
• keester
• nates
• posterior
• rear
• rear end
• rump
• seat
• tail
• tail end
• tush [slang]

Examples of duff in a Sentence

Noun (2)

I've been sitting on my duff all day

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

However, the overused score by Chris Hou at times strikes a duff note. —Alissa Simon, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024

The peat and duff of the forest floor began to smolder. —Carolyn Kormann, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2023

That’s a political choice, too — the choice by lawmakers unwilling to get off their duffs to bring those costs under control, say, by capping prescription drug prices. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2023

The structure of the forest floor depends on the quantity of peat, duff, downed logs, and dead trees—perhaps killed by plagues of beetles, which have thrived as global temperatures have risen. —Carolyn Kormann, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

English dialect, alteration of dough

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Adjective

duff, noun, something worthless, from duff entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1816, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1837, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

duff

noun

ˈdəf

: the partly decayed plant and animal matter on the floor of a forest