bouffant

adjective

bouf·​fant bü-ˈfänt  ˈbü-ˌfänt 

: puffed out

bouffant hairdos

a bouffant veil

Examples of bouffant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sporting a bouffant red wig, Holliday shot to national prominence on Alice in a version of the character originated by Diane Ladd in the 1974 film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, directed by Martin Scorsese. —Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025

Amal Clooney arrived on Thursday in a dramatic archival 1995 taffeta dress, complete with a bouffant train and asymmetrical hemline, by the French couturier Jean-Louis Scherrer, while Emma Stone’s custom Louis Vuitton dress featured a twisted bubble hem that gave a vintage-style drape to her gown. —Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025

Idomeneo himself appears as a park ranger, complete with Greek motifs on his shorts, while other cast members parade in sailor outfits and bouffant hairdos. —Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 22 Aug. 2025

Then, Naomi Campbell arrived at the Louvre for the first time in her career, marking the memory with a bouffant coif and her eyes encircled with dark liner. —India Espy-Jones, Essence, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, from present participle of bouffer to puff

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bouffant

• avant
• croissant
• detente
• entente
• savant
• storefront
• commandant
• confidant
• conodont
• debutante
• nonchalant
• restaurant