Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1808, 1937
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DUFFIE, -Y, adj. Also duffo.
1. Soft, spongy (Sh.10 1950; Fif., w.Lth. 1825 Jam.2; Fif.10 1940); doughy; dry and sapless (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; 1942 Zai). Also applied to wheat grains that are deficient in gluten (Lth. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 5). Hence (1) duffiness, n., sponginess (Cld. 1825 Jam.2); also in n.Eng. dial.; (2) duffy-faced, adj., pasty-faced, doughy-faced (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; 1925 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 10).Sc. 1808 Jam.:
A duffie neep, a spungy turnip.
2. Of coal: soft, inferior (Edb.6 1944); “applied to coals which crumble down when struck by the fire-irons” (Fif. 1825 Jam.2). Cf. Eng. duff, coal dust, dross.Fif. 1937 St Andrews Cit. (6 March) 5:
It is estimated that there is contained in the four seams 180,000 tons of marl coal, 230,000 tons of main coal, 320 tons of duffo coal and 240,000 tons of brasso coal.
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"Duffie adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/duffie_adj>
