Puffer

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpʌfɚ/

Definitions

1. A fish capable of inflating its body as a defense mechanism ; a person who smokes tobacco using a pipe or cigarette ; a padded jacket designed for warmth and insulation
2. A species of fish known for swelling up when threatened ; an individual who inhales tobacco smoke from a pipe or cigarette ; an outer garment filled with insulating material for cold weather
3. A fish that expands its body to deter predators ; someone who habitually smokes a pipe or cigarette ; a quilted coat intended to provide thermal protection

Etymology: The fish, the smoker, and the padded jacket share a name for the simplest reason: each one puffs. "Puff" is an old English word for a sudden blast of breath or air, and the suffix "-er" turns it into a word for the thing or person doing the puffing. A puffer is literally something that puffs, so the fish, which swells itself with water or air when threatened, earned its name from the same action as the smoker, who puffs out clouds of tobacco smoke. The padded jacket came later and got its name from the way its quilted layers swell out around the wearer, like a puffed-up bird. The cellular automaton called a puffer is a different case entirely: it is a shortened form of "puffer train," a pattern named for the way it appears to chug along, puffing as it moves.

Synonyms: inflatable, blowfish, puffball, balloon, puff

Antonyms: deflator, sucker