tuft

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
tuft/tʌft/

▶noun a bunch of threads, grass, or hair, held or growing together at the base.

■ Anatomy & Zoology a bunch of small blood vessels or other small anatomical structures.

▶verb

• 1 provide with a tuft or tufts.

• 2 Needlework strengthen (upholstery) by passing a cluster of threads through the material, so making depressions at regular intervals.

– derivatives
tufted adjective,
tufty adjective.

– origin ME: prob. from OFr. tofe, of unknown origin.