Pronunciation: /tɪf/

Definitions of tiff

noun a petty quarrel or argument

Example Sentences

A1 My sister and I had a tiff over who gets to use the computer first.

A2 The couple had a small tiff about where to go for dinner.

B1 They got into a tiff about the best way to solve the problem.

B2 The tiff between the coworkers escalated into a full-blown argument.

C1 The tiff between the two political leaders threatened to derail the peace talks.

C2 The tiff between the siblings had deep-rooted issues that needed to be addressed in therapy.

verb to have a petty quarrel or argument

Example Sentences

A1 My sister and I tiffed over what movie to watch.

A2 The couple tiffed about where to go on vacation.

B1 They tiffed over who should do the dishes after dinner.

B2 The coworkers tiffed about the best way to approach the project.

C1 The politicians tiffed over the wording of the new legislation.

C2 The siblings tiffed over the inheritance left by their parents.

Examples of tiff in a Sentence

formal The two business partners had a tiff over the terms of the contract.

informal My sister and I got into a little tiff over who gets to use the car first.

slang I heard there was a tiff between those two girls at the party last night.

figurative The storm clouds gathered, creating a tiff in the sky before the rain began to fall.

Grammatical Forms of tiff

past tense

tiffed

plural

tiffs

comparative

more tiff

superlative

most tiff

present tense

tiffs

future tense

will tiff

perfect tense

have tiffed

continuous tense

is tiffing

singular

tiff

positive degree

tiff

infinitive

to tiff

gerund

tiffing

participle

tiffed

Origin and Evolution of tiff

First Known Use: 1600 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'tiff' is believed to have originated from the Middle English word 'tiffen' which means to rebuke or scold.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'tiff' has evolved to also refer to a minor argument or disagreement between people.