# chaff

> English word · Noun · IPA /t͡ʃæf/ · frequency rank #39,242

## Definitions
1. The inedible parts of a grain-producing plant.
2. Straw or hay cut up fine for the food of cattle.
3. Any excess or unwanted material, resource, or person; anything worthless.
4. Light jesting talk; banter; raillery.
5. Loose material, e.g. small strips of aluminum foil dropped from aircraft, intended to interfere with radar detection.

## Etymology
From Middle English chaf, from Old English ċeaf, from Proto-West Germanic *kaf. Cognate with Scots caff, Saterland Frisian Sääf, West Frisian tsjêf, Dutch kaf, German Low German Kaff, regional German Kaff.

## Easily confused with
- **chat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chat)
- **chef** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chef)
- **chan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chan)
- **chap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chap)
- **cuff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-cuff)
- **char** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-char)
- **chai** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chai)
- **Chao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chao)
- **Chas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chas)
- **Chaz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chaz)
- **cham** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-cham)
- **Chau** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chau)
- **chief** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chief)
- **chair** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chair)
- **chain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chain)
- **chart** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chart)
- **chase** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chase)
- **craft** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-craft)
- **chaos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-chaos)
- **charm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chaff-vs-charm)

## Common misspellings (6)
`cahff`, `cchaff`, `chaf`, `chfaf`, `chhaff`, `hcaff`

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