Tufty

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈtʌfti/

Definitions

1. Characterized by a fluffy and clustered appearance, often referring to groups of short and disorganized strands or fibers that create a noticeable texture
2. Describing a texture that features thick, unevenly arranged, and protruding strands or fibers resembling small tufts or bunches
3. Having numerous small clumps or bunches of hair, feathers, or fibers arranged irregularly

Etymology: "Tufty" is a plain formation: the noun "tuft", a small bunch of hair, feathers or grass, with the suffix "-y", which turns a noun into an adjective meaning "having the quality of" or "full of". So a tufty thing is one that has tufts in it, or grows in tufts. The more surprising part is the bird. The tufted duck, "Aythya fuligula", is a diving duck whose male carries a drooping crest of feathers on the back of its head, and "tufty" was originally a name for this bird. The word was then used more widely, and the adjective's sense of "fluffy in clumps" grew out of that.

Synonyms: fluffy, furry