poof

¹ American  

[poof, poof] / pʊf, puf /

interjection

1. (used to express or indicate a sudden disappearance).

   Poof! The magician made the rabbit disappear.

2. pooh.

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poof ² American  

[poof, poof] / puf, pʊf /

Sometimes pooff; also pouf;

noun

British Slang.

1. Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a gay man.

2. Offensive. an effeminate male.

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poof British  

/ pʊf, puːf /

noun

1. derogatory a male homosexual

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Other Word Forms

• poofy
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of poof¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Origin of poof²

First recorded in 1840–50; from French pouffe “puff”; see origin at pouf ¹

Example Sentences

Oracle, on which a significant part of the family’s wealth depends, has seen a third of its market value go poof in 10 weeks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

In West Altadena, one homeowner who lost everything says, ‘Your possessions can go poof in a second. These connections we all share — that’s what the real stuff is.’

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2025

Massive turnover in the C-suite, thousands of staff layoffs across international outposts, and billions of dollars of wealth gone poof.

From Slate • Nov. 21, 2023

Pixar’s creative spark had apparently blown out — poof.

From New York Times • Oct. 3, 2023

Upon hearing this, Banzan realized that there is no best and no worst, that those judgments have no real meaning because there is only what is, and poof, he reached enlightenment.

From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green