puffer

noun

puff·er ˈpə-fər

plural puffers

: 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

: 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

: 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 Women in puffer jackets with cartons of milk went back and forth between the shrine and the edge of the hill, casting their offerings of milk into the air. —

Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023 Dion, wearing a white puffer vest and a beige sweatsuit, also met coach and hockey veteran Martin St. Louis. —

Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023 This cozy puffer jacket is designed to keep you snug even in the coldest of temperatures. —

Theresa Johnson, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2023 Throw it on top of any outfit as your outerwear, or layer it under a puffer or parka for even more warmth as fall turns to winter. —

Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 3 Oct. 2023 No need to wait ’til Black Friday to score a discount on a new puffer jacket or cozy sweater. —

Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2023 The brand’s highly coveted leather boots, high-quality knits, lightweight longline puffer coats, and more are finally available to shop in person. —

Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 6 Nov. 2023 These 38 percent-off graphic leggings are another great find, and the brand’s puffer jacket is $50 off. —

Megan Schaltegger, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2023 Find it on Amazon Grab A Puffer Vest the Weather in Between Keep warm but without sweating with a puffer vest. —

Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2023 See More

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