quiff

/kwɪf/

//kwɪf// noun

"quiff" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“quiff” is an uncommon English word, ranked #88,755 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#88,755
frequency rank, English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A puff or whiff, especially of tobacco smoke.

Key facts for quiff
PropertyValue
Headwordquiff
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kwɪf/
Letters5
Frequency rank#88,755
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “quiff” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). quiff lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for quiff is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kwɪf/. Corpus data places it at rank #88,755 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "A puff or whiff, especially of tobacco smoke.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for quiff, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Variant form of whiff. The correct English form is quiff, spelled Q-U-I-F-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    A puff or whiff, especially of tobacco smoke.

Etymology

Variant form of whiff.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "quiff"?
"quiff" is spelled Q-U-I-F-F. The IPA pronunciation is /kwɪf/.
What does "quiff" mean?
As a noun, "quiff" means: A puff or whiff, especially of tobacco smoke.
How do you pronounce "quiff"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "quiff" is /kwɪf/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "quiff"?
Variant form of whiff. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “quiff”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is Q-U-I-F-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kwɪf/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list