buff¹ / bəf/ • n. 1. a yellowish-beige color:2. a dull yellow leather with a velvety surface. ∎  a stick, wheel, or pad used for polishing or smoothing.• v. [tr.] polish (something): he buffed the glass until it gleamed. ∎  give (leather) a velvety finish by removing the surface of the grain.• adj. 1. yellowish beige.2. Informal being in good physical shape with fine muscle tone.PHRASES: in the buff inf. naked.buff² • n. inf. a person who is enthusiastically interested in and very knowledgeable about a particular subject: a computer buff.

buff2
A. †buffalo, wild OX XVI;

B. (earlier buff leather) leather of buffalo hide, hence of ox hide; military attire (orig. of this leather) XVI; the bare skin XVII;

C. light brownish-yellow (hence as adj.) XVIII. prob. — F. buffle BUFFALO.

buff1 blow, buffet (surviving only in BLINDMAN'S-BUFF). XV. — OF. buffe BUFFET1.