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niff

(informal) To smell bad; to stink.

nɪf123 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
3 definitions
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Definitions

UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(informal) To smell bad; to stink.

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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK

(Cornwall) A sulk or sullen mood.

For parents

"niff" means: A sulk or sullen mood.. 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

"niff" means: A sulk or sullen mood.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. 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.

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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK

(UK, Ireland, AU, NZ, informal) A bad smell.

Whew, there's a bit of a niff in here. Is that your socks?
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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