stuffer

A "stuffer" is usually either something that fills a space or a person or tool that does the filling. You may know the phrase "stocking stuffer" for a small gift tucked into a Christmas stocking. In the kitchen, a "sausage stuffer" is a tool used to push meat into casings. The word can also describe a person, such as an "envelope stuffer" preparing large amounts of mail. In business, it can mean an extra paper slipped into a package or envelope, such as an ad or flyer. The word stays close to the simple idea of putting something into something else to fill it.

The word "stuffer" is a flexible, practical word built around the idea of filling something. In everyday use, many people first meet it in "stocking stuffer," which means a small gift meant to go inside a Christmas stocking. In cooking, a "sausage stuffer" is a machine or tool that fills casings. The word can also name a person whose job is to fill or pack something, as in "envelope stuffer" for someone preparing bulk mail.

It also appears in business and printing. A "stuffer" can be an extra piece placed inside an envelope, box, or newspaper, often for advertising. In politics, a "ballot-box stuffer" is someone who cheats by adding illegal votes. These uses all share the same basic picture: a person, tool, or inserted item connected with filling something up.

Sometimes the word is used playfully for someone who crams things in or stuffs themselves with food, but that use is more informal and depends on context. Most of the time, the meaning is plain and concrete. It refers either to what goes inside, what does the filling, or the person doing that work.