Whiffler
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 One who whiffles, or frequently changes their course or opinion. obsolete
- 2 One who argues evasively; a trifler. obsolete
"Every Whiffler in a Laced Coat, who frequents the Chocolate-Houſe, and is able to ſpell the Title of a Pamphlet, ſhall Talk of the Conſtitution with as much Plauſibility as this very Solemn Writer, and with as good a Grace blame the Clergy for medling with Politicks which they do not underſtand."
- 3 One who plays on a whiffle; a fifer or piper. obsolete
- 4 An officer who went before a procession to clear the way, by blowing a horn or otherwise; hence, any person who marched at the head of a procession; a harbinger. obsolete
"[...] Men, Wiues and Boyes, / Whoſe ſhouts & claps out-voyce the deep-mouth'd Sea, / Which like a mightie Whiffler 'fore the King, / Seems to prepare his way: [...]"
- 5 The goldeneye (duck). US, dialectal
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"Every Whiffler in a Laced Coat, who frequents the Chocolate-Houſe, and is able to ſpell the Title of a Pamphlet, ſhall Talk of the Conſtitution with as much Plauſibility as this very Solemn Writer, and with as good a Grace blame the Clergy for medling with Politicks which they do not underſtand."
Etymology
From whiffle + -er.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.