pfiff

Pfiff is a German noun meaning the sharp, high-pitched sound produced by a whistle, or the whistle itself. It is closely tied to the verb pfeifen, meaning to whistle, and to the action of making a whistle sound. In everyday use, Pfiff can refer to both the device and the resulting sound rather than to a person making the sound.

In sports and regulation, a Pfiff from an official signals the start or stoppage of play, a foul, or an awarded goal. Referees and umpires use various whistles; the sound is designed to cut through crowd noise and be clearly audible at distance.

Outside sports, Pfiff describes a variety of contexts for whistle sounds: in animal training and dog handling, whistles cue specific actions; in music, sound designers may use short whistle-like cues to mark transitions or effects.

Related terms include Pfeife (the whistle device) and Pfeifen (to whistle).