powder-puff

1 of 2

adjective

pow·​der-puff ˈpau̇-dər-ˌpəf How to pronounce powder-puff (audio)
: of, relating to, or being a traditionally male activity or event done or played by women
a powder-puff football game

powder puff

2 of 2

noun

: a small fluffy device (such as a pad) for applying cosmetic powder

Examples of powder-puff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And to lock in your barely there brows, Martin suggests setting them with a powder puff and Tatcha's culty Silk Powder for maximum staying power. Rachel Burchfield, harpersbazaar.com, 10 June 2023 Puff Daddy couldn’t stop sweating during the red-carpet interview, desperately needing the assistance of a powder puff and mini portable fan to keep him cool. Heran Mamo, Billboard, 2 May 2023 To control shine, dust translucent powder across the forehead, the sides of the nose, and on the chin using a powder puff. Paige Stables, Allure, 30 Mar. 2023 Applying setting powder is a seamless process with a powder puff. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 22 Dec. 2022 Oh, that newspaper bit about council member Lindsey and the powder puff? Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 Nov. 2022 The Modernism Museum features a ‘60s pink powder puff bedroom, racquet club, beauty salon, roller rink, and camping site (to name a few!), some of which feature Turco's own possessions, like her 1969 Jaguar and 1956 Wellcraft vintage boat. Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 9 Nov. 2022 The old lady cactus, a type of powder puff cactus, is covered with spines and white down, hence its name. Terri Robertson, Country Living, 26 July 2022 After folding the egg whites into the almond mixture and adding pink coloring, Ms. Rossum piped the mixture onto a baking sheet in tidy spirals about the size of a powder puff. New York Times, 8 July 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'powder-puff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1929, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1697, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of powder-puff was in 1697

Dictionary Entries Near powder-puff

powder puff

powder-puff

powder ring

Cite this Entry

“Powder-puff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/powder-puff. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

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