Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. the very light growth of hair on the face of a boy who is on the verge of needing to shave.

1946		R. Rivett Behind Bamboo 395/2: Bumfluff, a small or poorly grown moustache.
1960		B. Kops Dream of Peter Mann Act II: A mother knows – yes under all that bum fluff he’s all mine.
1974		Adamson & Hanford Zimmer’s Essay 109: Now as the bumfluff darkens under my chin, I hate the thought of whiskers.
1976		(ref. to 1950) R. Barnes Coronation Cups and Jam Jars 174: I had my tea, washed and then shaved off what bum bluff there was on my chin.
1977		A. Bleasdale Who’s Been Sleeping in my Bed 29: Hair under his arms, bit of bumfluff over his lip.
1984		Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 153/2: late C.19–20.
1984		(con. WW2) T. Jones Heart of Oak [ebook] I remember one young man, tall and thin, on a Norwegian tanker [...] He was blond, and wore an incipient beard such as young men do. Prof named him ‘Skywegian Bumfluff’.
1999		Guardian G2 27 May 8: There’s nothing like growing up alongside boys and seeing the bum-fluff on chins turn into unatttractive stubble.
2001		(con. late 1940s) V. Foot Sixteen Shillings And Tuppence Ha’penny 44: Mere boys, some still had the bumfluff on their chins.
2006		D. Mitchell Black Swan Green 272: ‘Where’s yer bumfluff, Taylor?’ Ant Little peered at my upper lip.
2017		T. Spicer Good Girl Stripped Bare 45: I [...] see the bum-fluffed face of a teenage boy.
2023		A. Parks To Die in June 27: [He] could be anything from thirteen to seventeen, fuzz of bum fluff on his chin.

2. attrib. use of sense 1.

2000		N. Barlay Crumple Zone 3: Burton pulls on his bumfluff whiskers.
2000		S. Maloney Big Ask 65: Boys in bum-fluff moustaches, embroidered waistcoats and Nike runners.

3. (Aus.) empty talk, nonsense.

c.1943		S .J. Baker Aus. Vulgarisms [t/s] 7: bumfluff: Nonsense, cheap talk.
1955		N. Pulliam I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 231/1: bumfluff – nonsense or silly talk.

4. pubic hair.

1999		J. Poller Reach 16: Due to the extreme angle of my neck and her bobbing backside, my nose keeps coming up against her ticklish – all-too-literal – bumfluff.
2009		R. Milward Ten Storey Love Song 21: His bum-fluff was alll matted and to get most of the crap off he had to dig in with his nails.

5. a term of address, whether abuse or affection.

2000		J.J. Connolly Layer Cake 137: Listen, bum-fluff, you’ve taken my cash and what you’ve come back with has been canteen gossip.
2006		C. Miller Salt and Honey 145: So, Bumfluff, show me this cave.