puffball

noun

puff·​ball ˈpəf-ˌbȯl 

: any of various globose and often edible fungi (especially family Lycoperdaceae) that discharge mature spores in a smokelike cloud when pressed or struck

Examples of puffball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For that runway spectacle, guests were ferried in small rowboats on the Grand Canal to watch models parade puffball shapes on one shore. —Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019

Native American cultures pressed puffball mushrooms onto wounds to halt bleeding and aid healing. —Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 28 May 2025

Part Sloane Ranger, part nautical, Diana’s double-breasted blazer and puffball skirt combo was simultaneously peak ’80s power dressing and entirely fitting for the French riviera (thanks to the Gallic stripes and toe-cap heels). —Olivia Allen, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2025

The aviator jacket was styled with giant, puffball skirts for drama and pleated paisley skirts for a boho spin. —Rosana Lai, Glamour, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1649, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for puffball

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

puffball

noun

puff·​ball ˈpəf-ˌbȯl 

: any of various often edible globe-shaped fungi that release ripe spores in a cloud resembling smoke when they are touched

Medical Definition

puffball

noun

puff·​ball ˈpəf-ˌbȯl 

: any of various globose and often edible fungi (especially family Lycoperdaceae) that discharge ripe spores in a smokelike cloud when pressed or struck