Main Entry:

¹buff

Pronunciation:

\ˈbəf\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle French buffle wild ox, from Old Italian bufalo

Date:

1570

1: a garment (as a uniform) made of buff leather2: the state of being nude <sunbathing in the buff>3 a: a moderate orange yellow b: a light to moderate yellow4: a device having a soft absorbent surface (as of cloth) by which polishing material is applied5 [earlier buff an enthusiast about going to fires; perhaps from the buff overcoats worn by volunteer firefighters in New York City ab 1820] : fan, enthusiast