puffer

noun

puff·​er ˈpə-fər 

plural puffers

1

: any of a family (Tetraodontidae) of chiefly tropical scaleless marine bony fishes which can distend themselves to a globular form and most of which are highly poisonous : puffer fish

2

: a garment (such as a jacket) made of heavy quilted material

Yet this flood of fashion has a downside. … Can you layer a puffer over a suit without looking, well, portly?

—Jacob Gallagher

—often used before another noun

Roche, a slightly unkempt 54-year-old, wore black ski pants, a puffer jacket and sunglasses.

—Irina Aleksander

The new men's look … incorporates sporty items such as hoodies, puffer vests or jackets, camouflage patterns, sneakers, polo shirts and bomber jackets.

—Ray A. Smith

Once destined only for … occasions where highly practical (but often ugly) outerwear is required, the puffer coat has now infiltrated the world of high fashion.

—Otago (New Zealand) Daily Times (online)

These makers seem to be in alignment; the puffer scarf is the practical and stylish answer to frigid weather.

—Rachel Besser

3

: someone or something that puffs

Surrounded by two-pack-a-day cigarette puffers, he was a cigar smoker.

—Russell Baker

When it's wet or humid, lubricate sticky locks with a graphite puffer or talcum.

—Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming

Examples of puffer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This puffer jacket is water-resistant and will keep you warm down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. —Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025

The under-the-radar storefront is packed with winter coats, puffer jackets, fleece vests, and more essentials to keep you toasty. —Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025

Five different silhouettes feature insulation much like puffer jackets to form The North Face’s Basecamp collection. —Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025

The more than 20-piece lineup revisits Calvin Klein’s ‘90s DNA with a modern edge—think darted carpenter jeans with contrast stitching, loose-fitting barrel silhouettes and a mix of puffers, trucker jackets along with the brand’s signature cotton basics like T-shirts, underwear and tank tops. —Andre Claudio, Sourcing Journal, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing puffer

• puffer fish

Rhymes for puffer

• buffer
• duffer
• kafir
• rougher
• suffer
• tougher

Kids Definition

puffer

noun

puff·​er ˈpəf-ər 

1

: one that puffs

2

: puffer fish

Medical Definition

puffer

noun

puff·​er ˈpəf-ər 

: puffer fish