ruffle
/ˈɹʌfəl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.79 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
noun
The connected series of large egg capsules, or oothecae, of several species of American marine gastropods of the genus Fulgur.
Example Sentences
- "She loved the dress with the lace ruffle at the hem."
- "His dress was splendid; his hands glittered with rings, his snuff-box was covered with diamonds, and his ruffles were of the finest Mechlin lace."
- "Mind you, clothes were clothes in those days. […] Frills, ruffles, flounces, lace, complicated seams and gores: not only did they sweep the ground and have to be held up in one hand elegantly as you walked along, but they had little capes or coats or feather boas."
- "to put the mind in a ruffle"
- "Ruffle the end of the cuff."
- "The wind ruffled the papers."
Etymology
From Middle English ruffelen, perhaps from Old Norse hrufla (“to graze, scratch”) or Middle Low German ruffelen (“to wrinkle, curl”). Further origin unknown. Related to Middle Dutch ruyffelen, German Low German ruffeln. See English ruff.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: ruffelen, hrufla