SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

1

buff

play

noun \ ˈbəf \

Definition of buff

1 :a garment (such as a uniform) made of buff leather

2 :the state of being nude

sunbathing in the buff

3 a :a moderate orange yellow

b :a light to moderate yellow

4 :a device having a soft absorbent surface (as of cloth) by which polishing material is applied

5

[earlier buff an enthusiast about going to fires; perhaps from the buff overcoats worn by volunteer firefighters in New York City about 1820]

:fan, enthusiast

See buff defined for kids

Examples of buff in a Sentence

he's such a film buff that he owns over 3,000 movies
protected by a fully enclosed backyard, the couple would frequently sunbathe in the buff

Recent Examples of buff from the Web

His mother reportedly went into labor while at a movie theater, and his father was a film buff who owned a hotel.

— harrison smith, Washington Post, "Tobe Hooper, horror master behind ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ dies at 74," 28 Aug. 2017
Sherf, 32, is an amateur weather buff who chases storms every spring.

— matt campbell, kansascity, "Military vehicle that rescued Overland Park family from flood on way to Houston," 28 Aug. 2017
If you are obsessed with Making a Murderer, a psychology buff, or a fan of Jonathan Groff (Frozen, Glee, My Dreams), allow us (and Netflix) to present Mindhunter, which drops October 13, so there's time to get your scary on as Halloween approaches.

— elizabeth logan, Teen Vogue, ""Mindhunter," Netflix's New Serial Killer Series, Will Keep You Up at Night," 1 Aug. 2017
Well, Lowery (Ain’t them Bodies Saints) is a big Terrence Malick buff, so the static shots and the long takes and spiritual noodling exact a price.

— gary thompson, Philly.com, "Casey Affleck gives a really sheety performance in 'A Ghost Story.'," 18 July 2017
Looking out for astronomy Culberson, a self-avowed space enthusiast and huge astronomy buff, also wants to protect the federal government’s investments in astronomy.

— jeffrey mervis, Science | AAAS, "Why a flat 2018 budget could tie NSF’s hands," 14 July 2017
Living steps from the mansion has turned Rafael Ruiz into something of a history buff.

— jennifer rice epstein, Los Angeles Magazine, "Gage Mansion Is Moldering Away Right in Front of Its Owners’ Eyes," 10 July 2017
That’s good news for spine docs and robotics buffs alike—not only can the new adhesive help build devices like this octobot, but it can also be used to deliver drugs through soft, permeable patches that adhere to the skin.

— zahra ahmad, Science | AAAS, "New ‘superglue’ could seal the deal for stretchable batteries, soft robots," 23 June 2017
Cruella de Vil buffs likely go for Kellyanne Conway.

— graydon carter, The Hive, "Trump’s White House: The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight," 19 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'buff.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of buff

Middle French buffle wild ox, from Old Italian bufalo

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1570

See Words from the same year

buff Synonyms

Synonyms

addict, aficionado (also afficionado), fan, bug, devotee, enthusiast, fanatic, fancier, fiend, fool, freak, habitué (also habitue), head, hound, junkie (also junky), lover, maniac, maven (also mavin), nut, sucker

Antonyms

nonfan

Related Words

groupie; admirer, amateur, collector, connoisseur, dilettante; authority, expert; adherent, convert, cultist, disciple, follower, hanger-on, votary; advocate, apostle, backer, champion, evangelist, exponent, friend, patron, promoter, proponent, supporter; partisan (also partizan), zealot; booster, rooter, well-wisher; faddist

Near Antonyms

nonadmirer; belittler, carper, critic, detractor

Other Color Terms

argentine, cerise, cerulean, cyan, ocher, perse, puce, taupe, vermilion

2

buff

adjective

Definition of buff

1 :of the color buff

2 or buffed :having a physique enhanced by bodybuilding exercises

See buff defined for English-language learners

Examples of buff in a Sentence

He's at the gym every day trying to get buff.
the buff body of an athlete

Recent Examples of buff from the Web

Many animals compensate for puny muscles with speed, but muscles—even in the buffest bodybuilder—can only contract so fast.

— National Geographic, "Watch Spider Jaws Move as Quickly as World's Fastest Runner," 7 Apr. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'buff.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of buff

1746

Other Color Terms

argentine, cerise, cerulean, cyan, ocher, perse, puce, taupe, vermilion

3

buff

verb

Definition of buff

transitive verb

1 :polish, shine

waxed and buffed the floor

2 :to give a velvety surface to (leather)

See buff defined for English-language learners

Examples of buff in a Sentence

The floors are waxed and buffed every year.
She is going to the salon to get her nails buffed.

Recent Examples of buff from the Web

The in-salon service that, for the most part, features shimmering powder being buffed into coats of gel, results in futuristic nails that have been trending nonstop.

— emily gaynor, Teen Vogue, "Easy Drugstore Chrome Mirror Nails Video Tutorial," 14 Aug. 2017
Less time can result in the stripping of enamel, since technicians will often buff or scrape away the residual color.

— jenna rennert, Vogue, "How to Grow Out Your Nails in 2 Weeks or Less," 7 Aug. 2017
Over at the picture windows, Melody Ortega is buffing the nails of Elizabeth Dactyl, who works as a sign language interpreter.

— janet h. cho, cleveland.com, "Beauty Room is Cleveland's first finishing salon for date nights, special events (photos)," 6 Aug. 2017
Hundreds of thousands of adults returned to school during and immediately after the Great Recession, using the downtime to buff up on skills to serve them during the recovery.

— derek thompson, The Atlantic, "This Is the Way the College ‘Bubble’ Ends," 26 July 2017
Rick Valeriay and Ross Siddell, co-owners of a pair of 1930 and 1931 Model A Fords, parked their shined and buffed up classics side by side in the lot.

— annie gentile, Courant Community, "Classic Cars Take Over East Hartford," 18 July 2017
Besides being able to mitigate the hordes, the class can also stun, slow, and drain life from their enemies, as well as summoning temporary ranged attackers that buff the Necromancer further.

— steven strom, Ars Technica, "Diablo 3: Rise of the Necromancer review—roll them bones," 5 July 2017
When a drink is spilled, staffers immediately run in to buff the floor.

— sofiya ballin, Philly.com, "New nightclub NOTO wants to change the dance scene in Philly," 22 June 2017
At best, flipping can be a very healthy part of a market, raising the value of property and buffing up run-down homes.

— ajc homepage, ajc, "House-flipping up sharply in metro Atlanta, but nothing like bubble days (’least not yet)," 9 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'buff.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of buff

1838

buff Synonyms

Synonyms

grind, file, hone, rasp, rub, sand

Related Words

plane, scrape; sandblast, scour; burnish, dress, gloss, polish, shine, smooth; edge, hone, sharpen, strop, whet; regrind

Near Antonyms

coarsen, rough (up), roughen, scuff

BUFF Defined for English Language Learners

buff

adjective

Definition of buff for English Language Learners

: having a strong, muscular body or form

buff

verb

Definition of buff for English Language Learners

: to make (a surface) smooth and shiny by rubbing it

BUFF Defined for Kids

1

buff

play

noun \ ˈbəf \

Definition of buff for Students

1 :a pale orange yellow

2 :a stick or wheel with a soft surface for applying polish

3 :³fan a music buff

2

buff

verb

Definition of buff for Students

buffed; buffing

:to polish with or as if with a buff

Learn More about buff

See words that rhyme with buff Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for buff Spanish Central: Translation of buff Nglish: Translation of buff for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of buff for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up buff? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

yeasty

play

of yeast or being unsettled or frivolous

BROWSE DICTIONARY

buetschliite

Buettneriaceae

buff

buffa

buffability

Test Your Vocabulary

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Which of the following is a new sense of the word bunny?

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

alt-59c4207ecf106

Let's Talk 'Tea'

Spill it, sip it: just make it hot.

8 Words and Phrases from Boxing and Wrestling

Common terms that come from boxing and wrestling

alt-59c2960017c94

The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'

When you push a meeting, where does it go?

Silent Letters

When each letter can be seen but not heard

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066

Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless

Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals

Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

young-plant-shoots

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

You're going to have to memorize the dictionary again.

Take the quiz

stylized-drawing-of-woman-pole-vaulting-across-gap-to-get-trophy

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

No tricks, just difficult words.

Take the quiz

Name That Thing

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

Play the game

Examples: buff in a Sentence