bouffant means of hair or clothing, full-bodied or puffy; puffed out away from head or body. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 80 out of 100.
bouffant is pronounced /ˈbuːfɑ̃/.
Why “bouffant” is a great word
BOUFFANT — [Adjective] Of hair or clothing, puffed out to create a full, rounded shape. From French bouffant, meaning "puffed out," the present participle of bouffer ("to puff"), from Old French bouffer (12th century). First attested in English in 1869 in dressmaking contexts. Unlike "voluminous," which describes general abundance, or "teased," which specifies a method of backcombing, bouffant denotes the achieved, structural silhouette of deliberate inflation. It is the architectural dome of a powdered court wig, the crisp balloon of a taffeta skirt, and the defiant, honeycombed crown of a 1960s beehive—a temporary monument to the human will to sculpt air into form.
Etymology
From French bouffant, from Middle French; present participle of bouffer (“to puff”). Doublet of buffont.
adj
- Of hair or clothing, full-bodied or puffy; puffed out away from head or body.“Her bouffant suit made her seem much heavier than her petite figure actually was.”
noun
- A puffy, round hairstyle, popular in the mid-to-late 16th century, characterized by hair raised high on the head and usually covering the ears or hanging down on the sides.“Mother went a little pale. “Preposterous!” she said. “I don’t know what’s got into you!” She fiddled with her bouffant, almost as if she was nervous.”