# buff

> English word · Noun · IPA /bʌf/ · frequency rank #13,111

## Definitions
1. Undyed leather from the skin of buffalo or similar animals.
2. A tool, often one covered with buff leather, used for polishing.
3. A brownish yellow colour.
4. A military coat made of buff leather.
5. A person who is very interested in a particular subject.
6. A change introduced in a patch that makes a character, item, or attack stronger.
7. An effect that makes a character or item stronger.
8. Compressive coupler force that occurs during a slack bunched condition.
9. The bare skin.
10. The greyish viscid substance constituting the buffy coat.
11. Any substance used to dilute (street) drugs in order to increase profits.

## Etymology
From buffe (“leather”), from Middle French buffle (“buffalo”).

## Easily confused with
- **but** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-but)
- **buy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-buy)
- **bus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bus)
- **bug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bug)
- **bum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bum)
- **bun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bun)
- **bur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bur)
- **Bui** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bui)
- **busy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-busy)
- **burn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-burn)
- **bush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bush)
- **bull** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bull)
- **butt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-butt)
- **bulk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bulk)
- **buzz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-buzz)
- **bugs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bugs)
- **bust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bust)
- **bump** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bump)
- **buys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-buys)
- **bury** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buff-vs-bury)

## Common misspellings (4)
`bbuff`, `bfuf`, `buf`, `ubff`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/buff