Pouf
/puːf/noun
A soft cushion or low upholstered seat, or a fluffy hairstyle or decorative puff.
Did you know?The word is tied to the French idea of a puffed-out form, and in fashion and furniture it became a literal language of volume, making “pouf” a tiny word for exaggerated presence.
Etymological Timeline
17th Century
French
pouf
“A puff, swell, or padded prominence; something fluffy or expanded.”
17th-18th Century
English
pouf
“Borrowed into English for a padded seat, cushion, or decorative puff.”
Modern English
English
pouf
“A soft seat, a fluffy decorative mass, or a hairstyle with added volume.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pu-
“An imitative base associated with blowing or puffing, reflected in later words for bursts of air.”