ziff
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A beard.
Register: dated, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
Australian English
Examples
As for my trip to the Never Never, well, one lives and learns. I landed safely among a tribe of blacks, and asked an old buck with a white ziff if the 'Marys' of his tribe used paint and powder. He answered with an exceedingly broad nigger grin that 'they use'm charcoal.'
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A beard. — Someone with a beard, especially an old man.
Register: dated, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “ziff” mean?
A beard.
Is “ziff” formal or informal?
ziff is generally dated, slang.