puffer

noun

puff·​er ˈpə-fər 

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 noun

Roche, a slightly unkempt 54-year-old, wore black ski pants, a puffer jacket and sunglasses.

—Irina Aleksander

The 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

Once 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)

These makers seem to be in alignment; the puffer scarf is the practical and stylish answer to frigid weather.

—Rachel Besser

3

: someone or something that puffs

Surrounded by two-pack-a-day cigarette puffers, he was a cigar smoker.

—Russell Baker

When it's wet or humid, lubricate sticky locks with a graphite puffer or talcum.

—Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming

Examples of puffer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For the outing, Nikko, 27, sported a grey overcoat, black button shirt and jeans while his mother wore a black puffer, matching pants and blue top. —Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025

This is the key to the whole system and can be more than one layer (e.g., a lightweight fleece and a puffer jacket). —Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 22 Feb. 2025

Most recently, she was spotted at Super Bowl 2025 in an outdoor puffer vest, deeming it a trip-friendly layer. —Rylee Johnston, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2025

Lululemon Long Puffer Jacket $448 Lululemon If the plan is to hit the slopes together this winter, get your snow bunny a lightweight puffer in a pulse-spiking shade which can fold up in a carry-on. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing puffer

• puffer fish

Rhymes for puffer

• buffer
• duffer
• kafir
• rougher
• suffer
• tougher

Kids Definition

puffer

noun

puff·​er ˈpəf-ər 

1

: one that puffs

2

: puffer fish

Medical Definition

puffer

noun

puff·​er ˈpəf-ər 

: puffer fish