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toff

(obsolete) An elegantly dressed person.

tɒfCurrent61 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
Tech, Dev & AI
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Seen in the wild
4 citations · last seen May 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

#1·Apr 27, 2026

(obsolete) An elegantly dressed person.

Last week down our alley came a toff, / Nice old geyser with a nasty cough, / Sees my missus, takes his topper off, / Quite in a gentlemanly way
Origin: Probably an alteration of tuft, referring to the gold tassel on the cap worn by titled undergraduates at English universities. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"toff" means: An elegantly dressed person.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"toff" means: An elegantly dressed person.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (obsolete) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

Heard in the wild
  • POV: Your friend Toff wants to help you relax during #TFTuesday, but first, he'll have to make some adjustments... That's right, keep looking into his eyes and you'll be just like him ;3 #Inflatable #Pooltoy #OCArt #3DArt

    Bluesky· May 2026
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(UK, Irish, derogatory) A person of the upper class or with pretensions to it, who usually communicates an air of superiority.

I came home first classup the front end with the toffssemi-anaesthetised throughout the trip by caviar and free champagneand to hell with frugality and the conservation of resources.
Heard in the wild
  • The fact that 18% of California's electorate thinks Steve Hilton--an vapid, toff wanker with zero experience, zero abilities, and zero capacity to do anything useful--is quite the indictment.

    Bluesky· May 2026
  • Republicans love vapid toff wankers. They expect nothing less.

    Bluesky· May 2026
  • Dawn Neesom must have said 'glass of fizz' 10 times already....snobby toff.

    Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers

"toff" means: An elegantly dressed person.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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