Definition of "puffer" [puff•er]

• Any of various prickly, often poisonous, chiefly marine fishes of the family Tetraodontidae that are capable of puffing up by swallowing water or air. Also called blowfish, swellfish. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Now, the poison, tetrodotoxin, is a muscle paralyzer, normally found in Japanese puffer fish."
• "Now that poison is a muscle paralyzer normally found in Japanese puffer fish."
• "Incredibly, although he has played for big-name teams including Manchester United, Real Madrid and England, the 34-year-old has never before been seen using a 'puffer' - despite living with asthma since he was a child."