tiff

1 of 2

noun

: a petty quarrel

tiff

2 of 2

verb

tiffed; tiffing; tiffs

intransitive verb

: to have a petty quarrel

Examples of tiff in a Sentence

Noun got into a little tiff about what color sheets to buy for their bed Verb like any couple, they occasionally tiff, but it's never anything serious

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1754, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1700, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tiff was in 1700

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tiff. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

tiff

noun
ˈtif
: a minor quarrel

More from Merriam-Webster on tiff

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!