Fluffing

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈflʌfɪŋ/

Definitions

1. The technique of altering soft materials to improve their texture or visual appeal can involve reshaping for enhanced volume and attractiveness
2. The act of increasing the softness or volume of a material by gently shaking or brushing to create a fuller appearance
3. A process involving the gentle manipulation of fibers or soft materials to make them appear thicker and more inviting to the touch

Etymology: Fluff began as a word for the loose, downy stuff that drifts off wool, cotton, and fur. Its earliest English form, "floow," came from West Flemish "vluwe," and its ultimate origin is uncertain. Some scholars link it to a blend of "flue" and "puff," while others suggest it imitates the sound of something light and airy, a theory supported by similar-sounding words across several languages, including Hungarian "puha" and Romanian "puf." "Fluffing" is the present participle of "fluff," so the verb describes the act of working that loose, soft quality back into a material. Shaking or brushing a pillow or a feather boa lifts its fibres apart, which is why the meaning moved naturally from the substance itself to the action of making something look fuller and softer.

Synonyms: puffing, inflating, plumping, softening, filling

Antonyms: flattening, compressing, deflating, squeezing, squashing