n.
Function: noun
Etymology: probably back-formation from ruffle
Date: 1555
1 : a large round collar of pleated muslin or linen worn by men and women of the late 16th and early 17th centuries
2 : a fringe or frill of long hairs or feathers growing around or on the neck of an animal
3 : a common Eurasian sandpiper ( Philomachus pugnax ) whose male during the breeding season has a large ruff of erectile feathers on the neck
– ruffed \ ' r ə ft \ adjective
ruff 1