'puffy' originates from English, specifically the word 'puff', where the root 'puff' meant 'a short blast of air' or 'a swelling', combined with the adjectival suffix '-y' meaning 'characterized by'.

'puff' developed in Middle English from forms like 'puffen' (an imitative verb), and the adjective 'puffy' arose by adding the suffix '-y' to describe something characterized by puffs or swellings; over time this became the modern adjective 'puffy'.

Initially, it referred to something related to 'puff' (a puff of air or a swelling); over time it evolved to mean 'swollen' or 'soft and filled with air' in ordinary use.