buffy

B3U1F4F4Y4
/ˈbʌfi/

adjective

Of a buff color.

OriginEnglish buff ← Middle French buffle ← Old French bufle →
CommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

buffy1

adjectivebuffy (comparative buffier, superlative buffiest)

comparative buffier · superlative buffiest

  1. Of a buff color.

    A small sandpiper with rather buffy upper parts[…]

    1966, Bulletin, number 203, page 154

Buffy2

proper noun
  1. A diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth.

Origin

buffy · adjective

  1. Ancient Greek[Term?]?
  2. Ancient Greekβούβαλος (boúbalos)
  3. Latinbūbalus
  4. Late Latinbufalus
  5. Italianbufalo
  6. Old Frenchbufle
  7. Middle Frenchbuffle
  8. Englishbuffe
  9. Englishbuff
  10. Englishbuffy

From buff + -y.

Full word history & related roots →

Buffy · proper noun

  1. Proto-Semitic*ʔil-
  2. Biblical Hebrewאֵל (el)
  3. Biblical Hebrewנִשְׁבַּע (nishbá)
  4. Biblical Hebrewאֱלִישֶׁבַע (ʾĕlîšeḇaʿ)
  5. Ancient GreekἘλισάβετ (Elisábet)
  6. Middle EnglishElizabeth
  7. EnglishElizabeth
  8. EnglishBuffy

A pet form of Elizabeth (cf. Bethy), based on a child's unsuccessful attempts to pronounce the name. Popularized by the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with buffy

puffyduffystuffyscruffyhuffyMuffyroughyMcGuffeysnuffytoughiecuffeegruffyscuffywhuffie
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

buffy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/buffy

MLA

“buffy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/buffy. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “buffy,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/buffy.

Source: buffy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.