plural puffers
1
: 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
2
: 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 nounJacob GallagherRoche, a slightly unkempt 54-year-old, wore black ski pants, a puffer jacket and sunglasses.—Irina Aleksander
Irina AleksanderThe 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
Ray A. SmithOnce 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)
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
Rachel Besser3
: someone or something that puffs
Surrounded by two-pack-a-day cigarette puffers, he was a cigar smoker.—Russell Baker
Russell BakerWhen it's wet or humid, lubricate sticky locks with a graphite puffer or talcum.—Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming
Shannon Lush and Jennifer FlemingExamples of puffer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Besides being one of the best ways to stay warm, puffer jackets are also unbelievably packable, much like this Eddie Bauer down jacket that has insulation for chilly days but can be folded or rolled to practically half its size.
—Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
The more than 20-piece lineup revisits Calvin Klein’s ‘90s DNA with a modern edge—think darted carpenter jeans with contrast stitching, loose-fitting barrel silhouettes and a mix of puffers, trucker jackets along with the brand’s signature cotton basics like T-shirts, underwear and tank tops.
—Andre Claudio, Sourcing Journal, 29 Oct. 2025
Fall and winter puffer jackets of yore typically came in a range of predictable colorways, spanning from the pitch-black to the off-white, with the occasional pastel pink, burgundy, or deep green sprinkled here and there.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
This blanket comes in six colors and features a faux fur construction with the same puffy texture as your favorite puffer coat.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puffer
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Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
The more than 20-piece lineup revisits Calvin Klein’s ‘90s DNA with a modern edge—think darted carpenter jeans with contrast stitching, loose-fitting barrel silhouettes and a mix of puffers, trucker jackets along with the brand’s signature cotton basics like T-shirts, underwear and tank tops.
—Andre Claudio, Sourcing Journal, 29 Oct. 2025
Fall and winter puffer jackets of yore typically came in a range of predictable colorways, spanning from the pitch-black to the off-white, with the occasional pastel pink, burgundy, or deep green sprinkled here and there.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
This blanket comes in six colors and features a faux fur construction with the same puffy texture as your favorite puffer coat.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puffer
Cite this Entry
“Puffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puffer. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
puffer
noun
puff·er
ˈpəf-ər 
1
: one that puffs
2
Medical Definition
puffer
noun
puff·er
ˈpəf-ər
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