You searched for: “buff”
buff (s) (noun), buffs (pl)
1. Someone who is enthusiastically interested in and very knowledgeable about a particular subject or activity: Norman is a high school student who has become a computer buff.

Ingrid is a buff who knows a lot about English vocabulary words because she has a great deal of experience with classical Latin and Greek.

2. Etymology: from the early 20th century from suff, originally applied to enthusiastic fire-fighters, because of the buff-colored uniforms (a dull-yellow leather from buffalo hides) formerly worn by New York volunteer firemen.

By 1931, the meaning was extended to refer to any enthusiast or devotee.

—Compiled from information located in
The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology, Robert Barnhart, Editor;
The H.W. Wilson Company; 1988; page 123.
An expert or specialist.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group B (page 10)
buff, buffs
Someone who is very interested in and very knowledgeable about a particular subject or field of activity. (1)
This entry is located in the following unit: Word a Day Revisited Index of Cartoons Illustrating the Meanings of Words (page 19)