puffery
UK[ˈpʌfəri]US[ˈpʌfəri]
n
exaggerated or false praise or publicity used to promote something, especially in advertising.
Morpheme Breakdown
puff
ery
puff
to blow, to swell
ery
act or practice of
Etymology
the word 'puffery' originates from the middle english verb 'puffen', an onomatopoeic term imitating the sound of a short, explosive breath, which evolved to mean 'to blow' or 'to swell'. by the 16th century, 'puff' had acquired the figurative sense of extravagant praise, likening it to inflating something's importance with air. the suffix '-ery', borrowed from old french, denotes a practice or characteristic action. thus, 'puffery' literally means 'the practice of puffing', concretely capturing the concept of inflating claims through exaggerated promotion, a meaning solidified in the context of commerce and advertising.
Analysis
Structure: puff (to blow, to swell) + ery (act or practice of)
puff (middle english, from old english pyffan, of imitative origin, meaning to blow in short gusts or to swell). ery (suffix of middle english origin, from old french -erie, from latin -arius, forming nouns denoting an action, practice, or condition).
Examples
the commercial was filled with so much puffery that it was hard to believe any of the claims.
political campaigns often rely on puffery rather than substantive policy discussions.
the federal trade commission monitors advertisements to prevent deceptive puffery from misleading consumers.