buff

¹

[ buhf ]

noun

1. a soft, thick, light-yellow leather with a napped surface, originally made from buffalo skin but later also from other skins, used for making belts, pouches, etc.
2. a brownish-yellow color; tan.
3. a buff stick or buff wheel.
4. a devotee or well-informed student of some activity or subject:

   Civil War buffs avidly read the new biography of Grant.

5. Informal. the bare skin, or the state of being nude:

   swimming in the buff;

   stripped to his buff.

6. Also called buffcoat. a thick, short coat of buffalo leather, worn especially by English soldiers and American colonists in the 17th century.
7. Informal. a buffalo.

adjective

1. having the color of buff.
2. made of buff leather.
3. Slang. physically attractive; muscular.

   Synonyms: burnish

verb (used with object)

1. to clean or polish (metal) or give a grainless finish of high luster to (plated surfaces) with or as if with a buff stick or buff wheel.
2. to polish or shine, especially with a buffer:

   to buff shoes.

3. to dye or stain in a buff color.

buff

²

[ buhf ]

verb (used with object)

1. (in a video game) to enhance (player characters' attributes or abilities) with a spell, skill, or item:

   If you buff your party with a skill that increases movement speed, make sure everyone is in the area of effect—you wouldn’t want to leave your healer in the dust!

2. to reduce or deaden the force of; act as a buffer.

noun

1. (in a video game) a category of spell, skill, or item that enhances player characters' attributes or abilities:

   Your build is specific to your job class, so a DPS Shaman and a DPS Druid might bring different buffs.

2. Chiefly British Dialect. a blow; slap.

buff

¹

/ bʌf /

noun

1. 1. a soft thick flexible undyed leather made chiefly from the skins of buffalo, oxen, and elk
   2. ( as modifier )

      a buff coat

2. 1. a dull yellow or yellowish-brown colour
   2. ( as adjective )

      buff paint

3. Also calledbuffer
   1. a cloth or pad of material used for polishing an object
   2. a flexible disc or wheel impregnated with a fine abrasive for polishing metals, etc, with a power tool
4. informal.
   one's bare skin (esp in the phrase in the buff )

verb

1. to clean or polish (a metal, floor, shoes, etc) with a buff
2. to remove the grain surface of (a leather)

buff

²

/ bʌf /

noun

1. informal.
   an expert on or devotee of a given subject

   a cheese buff

buff

³

/ bʌf /

verb

1. tr to deaden the force of

noun

1. archaic.
   a blow or buffet (now only in the phrase blind man's buff )

Other Words From

• buffa·bili·ty noun
• buffa·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of buff¹

First recorded in 1545–55; 1900–05 buff ¹fordef 4; earlier buffe “wild ox,” back formation from buffle, from Middle French, from Late Latin būfalus; buffalo; buff ¹( def 4 ) originally a person enthusiastic about firefighting and firefighters, allegedly after the buff-colored uniforms once worn by volunteer firefighters in New York City

Origin of buff²

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English buffe “blow; clash.” back formation from buffet ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of buff¹

C16: from Old French buffle , from Old Italian bufalo , from Late Latin būfalus buffalo

Origin of buff²

C20: originally US: an enthusiastic fire watcher, from the buff-coloured uniforms worn by volunteer firemen in New York City

Origin of buff³

C15: back formation from buffet ²

Idioms and Phrases

see in the buff .

Example Sentences

Simmons provides the biceps as the St. Nick in question, a buff Father Christmas.

From Los Angeles Times

He is very blond and buffed — not buff but, like sanded and polished.

From Los Angeles Times

In the past few years, Zuckerberg has started working out, getting buff, and competing in jujitsu tournaments.

From Slate

"When he was younger, he would read my scripts and ask insightful questions. His mother is a huge film buff, so he - like all my kids - grew up watching movies. He always had a desire to make films, and now he’s doing it."

From BBC

Three feature main characters who are geniuses; in the fourth, everyone is buff and athletic, which is its own kind of genius, I suppose.

From Los Angeles Times