tuff

¹

[ tuhf ]

adjective

, Slang.

1. tough ( def 13 ).

tuff

²

[ tuhf ]

noun

, Geology.

1. a fragmental rock consisting of the smaller kinds of volcanic detritus, as ash or cinder, usually more or less stratified.

tuff

/ tʌf; tʌˈfeɪʃəs /

noun

1. a rock formed by the fusing together on the ground of small rock fragments (less than 2 mm across) ejected from a volcano

tuff

/ tŭf /

1. A rock made up of particles of volcanic ash, varying in size from fine sand to coarse gravel.

Derived Forms

• tuffaceous, adjective

Other Words From

• tuff·a·ceous [tuh-, fey, -sh, uh, s], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tuff¹

1560–70; < French tuf < Italian tufo. See tufa

Word History and Origins

Origin of tuff¹

C16: from Old French tuf , from Italian tufo ; see tufa

Example Sentences

First with photos and drawings and later with a 3D scanner, the marks in the tuff rock of the cave wall were meticulously recorded.

From Science Daily

The trilobite fossils were trapped between layers of petrified ash in sandstone, the product of old volcanic eruptions that settled on the sea floor and formed a green layer called a tuff.

From Science Daily

Even in the "tuff shed" cubicles the city provided for the camp dwellers, calling them alternative housing, a man was shot and killed last winter.

From Salon

The river tracks a diverse landscape from the southern edge of the Rocky Mountains through rugged basalt hillsides, layers of volcanic tuff, and the red and yellow cliffs made famous by painter Georgia O’Keeffe.

From Seattle Times

The point is “GOATs” do not quit when the going gets tuff.

From Los Angeles Times