tifftiff /tɪf/ noun [countable] 
Dave’s had a tiff with his girlfriend.► see thesaurus at argument
WORD ORIGINtiff
Origin:
1700-1800 Perhaps from the sound of air escaping under pressureEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- He had a tiff with his wife.
- It was just a silly lovers' tiff -- we couldn't even remember why it had started.
- Whenever she and Bernard had a tiff, Ari would go for a long drive to think about things.
- A phone tiff between him and Fergie was recorded by an eavesdropper, it was reported last night.
- And yet, for all that, it could just be a tiff.
- He tried to make it seem like nothing more than some kind of lovers' tiff.
- She gets into tiffs with everyone.
- The more sceptical see Vercruysse's defection simply as a private tiff between the artist and Hoet.
- This wasn't just another tiff we were having.
- What worried me is that she and Rosie had that tiff and then she took off after me.
THESAURUSan argument that is not very serious
an argument about something that is not important: · There were the usual squabbles between brothers and sisters.· Voters are tired of petty squabbles between party leaders.
informal an argument that is not very serious, between people who are in love: · Gary had a bit of a tiff with his girlfriend.
a slight argument – a rather formal word which is often used humorously: · There was a slight misunderstanding over the bill, but everything’s been sorted out now.
a short argument, especially between politicians or sports opponents: · Evans and O'Brien had several political skirmishes.
Longman Language Activatoran argument about something unimportant a noisy argument about something that is not important, especially between children: · Uncle Matt bought them a computer game to share, which led to endless squabbles.squabble about/over: · The kids are having their usual squabble over which TV show they're going to watch.
a short argument about something unimportant, especially between two people who are in love: have a tiff (with somebody): · Whenever she and Bernard had a tiff, Ari would go for a long drive to think about things.lover's tiff: · It was just a silly lovers' tiff -- we couldn't even remember why it had started.
a short angry argument, usually about something unimportant: · The girls were having a spat in the back of the car over who got to use the armrest.· It was just a little spat over who did the dishes last.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Dave’s had a tiff with his girlfriend.
a slight argument between friends or people who are in lovetiff with Dave’s had a tiff with his girlfriend. Dave’s had a tiff with his girlfriend.► see thesaurus at argument