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rip·ple 1 (rĭpəl)
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v. rip·pled, rip·pling, rip·ples
v.intr.
1.
a. To form or display little undulations or waves on the surface, as disturbed water does.
b. To flow with such undulations or waves on the surface.
2. To rise and fall gently in tone or volume.
v.tr.
To cause to form small waves or undulations.
n.
1. A small wave.
2. A wavelike motion; an undulation: the ripple of a flag.
3. A sound like that made by rippling water: a ripple of laughter.
[Middle English ripplen, to wrinkle, crease, perhaps of Scandinavian origin.]
rippler n.
rippling·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
rip·ple 2 (rĭpəl)
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n.
A comblike, toothed instrument for removing seeds from flax and other fibers.
tr.v. rip·pled, rip·pling, rip·ples
To remove seeds from with a comblike, toothed instrument.
[Middle English, from *ripelen, to remove seeds; akin to Middle Low German repelen.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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