Baff

//bæf// name, noun, verb

name, noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    blank Geordie, Scotland, uncountable
  2. 2
    Initialism of B-cell activating factor. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Verb
  1. 1
    To bark; yelp. archaic, intransitive
  2. 2
    To hit or strike, especially with something flat or soft.
  3. 3
    To strike the ground with the bottom of the club when taking a stroke.
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    Initialism of British Armed Forces Federation. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
  2. 2
    A surname
  3. 3
    Initialism of British Air Forces in France. abbreviation, alt-of, historical, initialism

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English baffen (“to bark”). Cognate with Dutch baffen (“to bark”), Low German baffen (“to bark”), German baffen, bäfzen (“to bark”), Danish bjæffe (“to yelp”), Swedish bjäbba (“to yelp, bark”). Compare buff, yaff.

Etymology 2

Probably from Scots baff, beff, bauf, probably from West Flemish baf, baffe (“a blow, slap in the face”). Compare also Old French baffe (“slap in the face”) (Modern French baffe), of imitative origin.

Related phrases

baffed out

More for "baff"

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.