Word Explorer

Chaff

/tʃæf/

The inedible parts of a grain-producing plant.

Full Dictionary Entry

📖 Definitions of "Chaff"

noun

1
The inedible parts of a grain-producing plant.
"To separate out the chaff, early cultures tossed baskets of grain into the air and let the wind blow away the lighter chaff."
2
Straw or hay cut up fine for the food of cattle.
3
Any excess or unwanted material, resource, or person; anything worthless.
4
Light jesting talk; banter; raillery.

verb

1
To use light, idle language by way of fun or ridicule; to banter.
2
To make fun of; to turn into ridicule by addressing in ironical or bantering language; to quiz.

🔄 Synonyms of "Chaff"

8 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

Word	Definition
banternoun	Sharp, good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation.
stalknoun	The stem or main axis of a plant.
husknoun	The dry, leafy or stringy exterior of certain vegetables or fruits, which must be removed before eating the meat inside.
jollynoun	Full of merriment and high spirits; jovial; joyous; merry.
shucknoun	The shell or husk, especially of grains (e.g. corn/maize) or nuts (e.g. walnuts).
strawnoun	(countable) A dried stalk of a cereal plant.
kidnoun	(informal) A child, adolescent, or (loosely) a young adult.
stubblenoun	(countable and uncountable) Short, coarse hair, especially on a man’s face.

💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Chaff"

Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.

Word	Definition
husknoun	The dry, leafy or stringy exterior of certain vegetables or fruits, which must be removed before eating the meat inside.
shucknoun	The shell or husk, especially of grains (e.g. corn/maize) or nuts (e.g. walnuts).
strawnoun	(countable) A dried stalk of a cereal plant.
kidnoun	(informal) A child, adolescent, or (loosely) a young adult.
stubblenoun	(countable and uncountable) Short, coarse hair, especially on a man’s face.
stalknoun	The stem or main axis of a plant.
jollynoun	(UK, often humorous) A pleasure trip or excursion; especially, an expenses-paid or unnecessary one.
banternoun	Sharp, good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation.
bathwaternoun	The water used in a bath (bathtub).
grainnoun	(uncountable) The harvested seeds of various grass food crops eg: wheat, corn, barley.
wheatnoun	(countable) Any of several cereal grains, of the genus Triticum, that yields flour as used in bakery.
motenoun	(literary or puristic, otherwise archaic) A small particle; a speck.
litternoun	(uncountable) Waste or debris, originally any mess but now particularly trash left or thrown on the ground.
glitternoun	A bright, sparkling light; shininess or brilliance.
chiffnoun	(music) The characteristic sound made as part of the attack of certain notes on the organ.
cuttersnoun	A person or device that cuts (in various senses).
winnowedverb	(transitive, agriculture, literal) To subject (granular material, especially food grain) to a current of air separating heavier and lighter components, as grain from chaff.
paleanoun	(botany) The interior chaff or husk of grasses.
chaffweednoun	A low glabrous weedy branching herb (Centunculus minimus) of the family Primulaceae, having short dry chaff-like leaves.
herbagenoun	Herbs collectively.