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Glite Dictionary
powder-puff

powder-puff

7.9
A sports match played only by women
  • adjective
  • /ˈpaʊdər pʌf/
  • Offensive
translation icon : de chicas (informal, ofensivo)
  • The school hosted a powder-puff football game with senior girls playing against junior girls.

Examples

  • Every year, they organize a powder-puff basketball tournament to encourage female participation in sports.

  • A powder-puff volleyball match was the highlight of the homecoming celebrations.

  • The powder-puff football game was exciting to watch!

  • She participated in a powder-puff match last weekend.

  • The school organized a powder-puff football game, allowing girls to showcase their skills on the field.

  • Many colleges host powder-puff tournaments to promote female athletes in traditionally male sports.

  • Last Saturday, my friends and I attended a powder-puff cheerleading competition that featured only female teams.

Antonyms

coed
  • US
19 3.9

Including both men and women

unisex
5 3.8

Suitable for both men and women

Surface Forms

powder-puff positive

Morphology

powder-puff = powder + puff (semi-transparent) = powder + puff

The components 'powder' + 'puff' evoke a feminine/cosmetic image, but the specific meaning 'a women-only sporting event' is a cultural metaphor requiring extra world knowledge.

Etymology

Powder-puff comes from the soft pad people use to put on face powder, where puff means 'a soft pad'. A helpful way to remember the sports meaning is to think of a powder-puff game as a gentle, women-only match that began as an informal, light contest, which is why the term now describes events with only female participants.