different between pooftah vs pouf

English

Alternative forms

• poofta

Pronunciation

Noun

pooftah (plural pooftahs)

1. Alternative spelling of poofter
   • 1989, Hilary Prendini Toffoli, Gus Silber, Who?s Really Who in South Africa, page 168,

     A backslapping, beerswilling Jack-the-Lad who wears chunky gold jewellery and cracks crude gags about “bearded oysters” and pooftahs. That?s Tony Sanderson?s perception of the public?s perception of Tony Sanderson, and he is not far wrong. But it does upset him a little, […] .

   • 2001, Lindsay Charman-Love, Been There, Done That, Top Hat and Taiaha, and Other Stories, Huia Publishers, New Zealand, page 6,

     Screaming like a banshee he turned on his heels and fled.

     ‘Gutless bastard,’ one of them yelled. ‘You fucking girl!’

     ‘Yeah, ya pooftah,’ his mate yelled. ‘Fuckin? chicken pooftah!’

Related terms

• poof

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: po?of, IPA^(key): /p?f/
• (US)
  • IPA^(key): /pu?f/
• Rhymes: -?f, -u?f
• Homophones: poof, pouffe (with certain dialects and/or accents)

Etymology 1

From French pouf, pouff, of imitative origin; compare puff.

Alternative forms

• pouffe

Noun

pouf (plural poufs)

1. (historical) A headdress for women popular in 18th century France. [from 18th c.]
2. A high hair style for women consisting of a roll or pad of hair, worn up. [from 19th c.]
3. (dressmaking) Part of an item of clothing consisting of gathered fabric in a bunch. [from 19th c.]
4. A low cushioned seat with no back; a padded footstool. [from 19th c.]

   Synonym: tumpty

   • 1922, H.D., Asphodel:

     The voice came from the end of the divan but Hermione, seated square before the fire on a low pouffe did not turn to face its suave producer.

   • 1948, John Creasey, The Case Against Paul Raeburn:

     Raeburn's handsome head was resting against the back of his chair; Eve sat on a pouf in front of the fire.

   • 1971, ‘Slaughter at the Summer Palace’, Time, 26 Aug 1971:

     Italian Ambassador Amedeo Guillet, who makes it a practice never to eat at midday, lounged on a Moroccan pouf reading The Peter Principle.

5. A short skirt gathered into a rounded puffy shape; a puffball. [from 20th c.]
6. A ball of fabric (such as nylon monofilament netting) used for washing (as an alternative to a flannel, washcloth, sponge, etc.).
7. (dated) A small saddle cushion worn atop the buttocks (as a fashion trend – similar to a bustle).
8. Alternative form of puff
9. Alternative form of poof

Synonyms

• (padded footstool): footstool, hassock, ottoman, tumpty
• (homosexual): horse's hoof (rhyming slang), poofta; pooftah; poofter; poof

Translations

Verb

pouf (third-person singular simple present poufs, present participle poufing, simple past and past participle poufed)

1. (transitive) To make poufy or bouffant.

   to pouf the hair

Etymology 2

Imitative.

Alternative forms

poof

Interjection

pouf

1. Onomatopoeia indicating a cloud of smoke or wind; caused by a deflating object, or a magical disappearance.

   Pouf, he was gone.

Anagrams

• FOUP

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /puf/

Noun

pouf m (plural poufs)

1. pouffe (thick cushion)
2. a girl of bad conduct

Interjection

pouf

1. poof (onomatopoeia)

Further reading

• “pouf” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).