A tiff is a small, usually brief argument or quarrel between people who generally get along well. When two friends have a tiff about whose turn it is to choose the game at recess, they might feel annoyed with each other for a few minutes before making up. When siblings have a tiff over the TV remote, voices might rise and feelings might get hurt, but the disagreement typically blows over quickly.

The word suggests something minor and temporary, not a serious falling-out. A tiff is more like a momentary storm cloud than a hurricane. You might have a tiff with your best friend over something small, like who gets to sit in the front seat, but you're probably still sitting together at lunch. Parents might have a tiff about whose turn it is to do the dishes, but they're not genuinely angry with each other.

What makes something a tiff instead of a fight is that both the issue and the bad feelings are relatively small. If two teammates have a serious disagreement about fairness that damages their friendship, that's more than a tiff. But if they bicker briefly about whose fault a missed play was, then laugh about it later, that's a perfect example of a tiff.