Bluff
/blʌf/noun
A steep cliff or bank; or a direct, often confident lie or pretense.
Did you know?The English word *bluff* first meant a steep, bare headland or cliff in American English, and its later sense of “deceptive confidence” likely grew from the idea of presenting a hard, intimidating front.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
Dutch
bluffen
“to brag, boast, or swagger”
17th Century
English
bluff
“bold, blunt, or roughly direct”
18th Century
English
bluff
“a steep bank, cliff, or headland”
19th Century
English
bluff
“a deceptive show of confidence, especially in poker”
Modern English
English
bluff
“a steep cliff; a false show of confidence or intention”