Poof

Poof is a British slang word for a gay man, often one seen as effeminate or as not conforming to conventional masculinity. It has a long history as a derogatory term and is still widely understood as a slur. Its exact origins are uncertain, with proposed links to older British slang and to Polari, the coded slang once used in parts of British gay culture. Like other reclaimed words, it can carry camp affection or irreverent self-identification when used within queer communities, but the same word remains an insult when aimed from outside them. Whether it lands as playful or hostile depends heavily on who is speaking and to whom. The related form poofter tends to read as harsher.