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SPF

American  

abbreviation

  1. sun protection factor: the effectiveness of a sunscreen in protecting the skin from the sun's ultraviolet UVB radiation, as rated on a scale of increasing protectiveness, the number being the ratio of the radiation dose needed to produce minimal redness when using sunscreen compared to the dose needed to produce the same redness without sunscreen.

    An SPF of 15 will allow you to stay in the sun 15 times longer.
SPF 1 British  

abbreviation

  1. sender policy framework: a mechanism designed to prevent an e-mail address being duplicated and used as a false address from which to send unsolicited e-mails

  2. sun protection factor: an indicator of how effectively a sun cream, lotion, cosmetic, etc, protects the skin from the harmful rays of the sun

    SPF 25
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
S.P.F. 2 British  

abbreviation

  1. vet science specific pathogen free; denoting animals specially bred to ensure that they are free of specified diseases

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The overhaul comes after a report by Choice last June found 16 of the 20 sunscreens they tested - including several premium, expensive brands - failed to live up to their advertised SPF rating.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Gilbert, 34, was made aware her data had been breached in June 2022 when she was called by the SPF and offered support.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

My skin was tinged white from SPF 70 sunscreen.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2025

However, the former judge stood down from the inquiry months after initially refusing an SPF call to resign over concerns about his meetings with Mr Bayoh's family.

From BBC • Nov. 4, 2025

“Don’t you know anything about SPF? Skin cancer?”

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.