chaff
1
[ chaf, chahf ]
/ tʃæf, tʃɑf /
noun
the husks of grains and grasses that are separated during threshing.
straw cut up for fodder.
worthless matter; refuse.
the membranous, usually dry, brittle bracts of the flowers of certain plants.
Also called window. Military.
strips of metal foil dropped by an aircraft to confuse enemy radar by creating false blips.
Origin of chaff
1
before 1000; Middle English
chaf, Old English
ceaf; cognate with Middle Low German, Dutch
kaf
OTHER WORDS FROM chaff
chaff·less, adjective chaff·like, adjectiveWords nearby chaff
chaetopod,
chaetotaxy,
chafe,
chafer,
chafeweed,
chaff,
chaffer,
chaffinch,
chaffy,
chafing dish,
chaga
Definition for chaff (2 of 2)
chaff
2
[ chaf, chahf ]
/ tʃæf, tʃɑf /
verb (used with or without object)
to mock, tease, or jest in a good-natured way; banter: She chaffed him for working late. They joked and chaffed with each other.
noun
good-natured ridicule or teasing; raillery.
Origin of chaff
2
First recorded in 1640–50; perhaps from
chaff1
OTHER WORDS FROM chaff
chaff·ing·ly, adverb un·chaffed, adjective un·chaff·ing, adjectiveExample sentences from the Web for chaff
British Dictionary definitions for chaff (1 of 2)
chaff
1
/ (tʃɑːf) /
noun
the mass of husks, etc, separated from the seeds during threshing
finely cut straw and hay used to feed cattle
something of little worth; rubbish (esp in the phrase separate the wheat from the chaff)
the dry membranous bracts enclosing the flowers of certain composite plants
thin strips of metallic foil released into the earth's atmosphere to confuse radar signals and prevent detection
Derived forms of chaff
chaffy, adjectiveWord Origin for chaff
Old English
ceaf; related to Old High German
keva husk
British Dictionary definitions for chaff (2 of 2)
chaff
2
/ (tʃɑːf) /
noun
light-hearted teasing or joking; banter
verb
to tease good-naturedly; banter
Derived forms of chaff
chaffer, nounWord Origin for chaff
C19: probably slang variant of
chafe, perhaps influenced by
chaff
1