riot
/ˈɹaɪ.ət/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.09 in modern English
4
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group of people, often involving violence or damage to property.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Excessive and expensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry.
Countable; Obsolete; Uncountable
verb
To act in an unrestrained or wanton manner; to indulge in excess of feasting, luxury, etc.
Intransitive verb; Obsolete
Example Sentences
- "The protests began peacefully but turned into riots after several days."
- "In summer this flower garden is a riot of colour."
- "The human world is contracting not only prospectively but to the backward-probing eye of culture-history. Nevertheless we are as yet far from able to reduce the riot of spoken languages to a small number of “stocks.”"
- "Check this out! We have to get this! I can't believe all this stuff! This is a total riot!"
- "They call me "quiet girl", but I'm a riot"
- "For when his head-ſtrong Riot hath no Curbe,"
Etymology
From Middle English riot (“debauched living, dissipation”), from Old French riote (“debate”), from rioter (“to quarrel”), perhaps related to riboter or from Latin rugio (“to roar”). Compare French riotte and Occitan riòta.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: riot, riote, rugio