# tiff

> English word · Noun · IPA /tɪf/ · frequency rank #28,052

## Definitions
1. A (generally small) argument or disagreement; a petty quarrel, a spat.
2. A brief outburst or period of bad temper; a snit; also (rare) any brief outburst (for example, of laughter).

## Etymology
The origin of the noun is unknown; it is possibly originally dialectal and may be onomatopoeic, representing the sound of a small puff of air or gas. The verb is derived from the noun.

## Easily confused with
- **tip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tip)
- **Tim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tim)
- **tin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tin)
- **tit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tit)
- **tig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tig)
- **tio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tio)
- **tik** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tik)
- **time** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-time)
- **till** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-till)
- **tiny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tiny)
- **tips** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tips)
- **tire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tire)
- **tits** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tits)
- **Tina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tina)
- **turf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-turf)
- **tile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tile)
- **tilt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tilt)
- **ting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-ting)
- **tito** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tito)
- **tofu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiff-vs-tofu)

## Common misspellings (4)
`itff`, `tfif`, `tif`, `ttiff`

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