Main Entry:

¹tuft

Pronunciation:

\ˈtəft\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, modification of Middle French touffe, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German zopf tip — more at top

Date:

14th century

1 a: a small cluster of elongated flexible outgrowths attached or close together at the base and free at the opposite ends ; especially : a growing bunch of grasses or close-set plants b: a bunch of soft fluffy threads cut off short and used as ornament2: clump, cluster3: mound4: any of the projections of yarns drawn through a fabric or making up a fabric so as to produce a surface of raised loops or cut pile

— tuft·ed \ˈtəf-təd\ adjective

— tufty \ˈtəf-tē\ adjective