Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1843-1929
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BUFFIE, Buffy, Baffy, adj. Also bowfy. [′bʌfɪ̢, ′bɑfɪ̢]
1. "Fat, purfled; applied to the face" (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bnff.2, Abd.22 1936); chubby. Applied also to other parts of the body, or to the body as a whole. Also in comb., baffy-heided (Fif.10 1936).Sc. 1929 A. M. Murray in Scots Mag. (April) 23:
Awa' oot o' here! . . . If ye dinna — . . . I'll throw this at ye . . . ye, ye muckle baffy-heided . . .Mry. 1875 W. Tester Poems 13:
She rubs it wi' her bowfy han' to ease the blindin' pain.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie's Wallet i.:
E'en wee buffy Jock, an' his daft titty Bess, A' yaummer for Patie the Packman.Rnf. 1865 J. Young Homely Pictures 52:
Their buffie hauns they clap wi' glee.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.
2. "Shaggy; as, 'a buffie head,' when the hair is both copious and dishevelled" (Fif. 1825 Jam.2).
[From Buff, v.1 (1), q.v.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Buffie adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/buffie_adj>
