Meaning

adjective lacking fresh air

adjective excessively conventional and unimaginative and hence dull

adjective affected with a sensation of stoppage or obstruction

originEtymology tree English stuff Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English stuffy From stuff + -y.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0