puffery

Meanings

• noun

  Exaggerated or delusive praises or claims; empty or insincere flattery.

  - "The real estate agent used a lot of puffery to sell the house."
  - "The car salesman's puffery about the vehicle's features was impressive but not entirely truthful."

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with puffery
buffery , stuffy , lofty , griffy , miffy

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Variants

List of all variants of puffery that leads to same result
pufferies , puffery

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

Originally meant 'blowing up' or 'inflating' in the late 15th century. Later came to mean 'empty or insincere praise' in the late 17th century.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. Puffery is often used in legal contexts to refer to insincere or exaggerated statements made during a trial.

2. The term 'puffery' comes from the Middle English word 'puffen,' meaning 'to inflate or blow up'.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. Flattery: Flattery is the act of praising someone excessively to gain their favor or admiration. Puffery is a more extreme form of flattery, often involving insincere or exaggerated praise.

2. Hyperbole: Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which an extravagant statement is made for emphasis. Puffery is a form of hyperbole that is used insincerely to deceive or manipulate.

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

Puffery has been used extensively in literature, particularly in satire and comedy, to highlight the absurdity and dishonesty of exaggerated praise or claims. It is often used to criticize salespeople, politicians, and other figures who use insincere flattery to manipulate or deceive.

How to Memorize "puffery"

1. visualize
   

   - Imagine a balloon being filled with hot air, representing the exaggerated claims or praises made in puffery.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word 'puffery' with insincere or empty praise, like a salesperson's exaggerated claims about a product.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Use the acronym 'PAFF' to remember the meaning of puffery: P for Praises, A for Exaggerated, F for Flattery, and E for Empty.

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