Soft, light particles or fibers that accumulate, especially from fabric or fur. Also refers to trivial or insubstantial content, or to make something appear fuller and softer.
Probably imitative in origin, first recorded in the 18th century, possibly related to 'flue' (down, nap of cloth). The word captures the light, airy quality of loose fibers through its soft consonants and vowel sound.
Fluff is one of those perfect onomatopoetic words - saying it almost mimics the gentle puff of air you'd use to blow lint away. Interestingly, 'fluff' evolved from describing literal fuzz to metaphorical meaninglessness, as in dismissing superficial content as 'just fluff.'
Dismissive term applied disproportionately to women's creative work, entertainment contributions, and intellectual output ('women's fluff'), delegitimizing entire genres and fields.
Be specific about what you mean. Instead of 'fluff,' use 'entertainment,' 'light,' 'pop culture,' or describe the actual content to avoid gendered dismissal.
["entertainment","light reading","pop culture","accessory content"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.