noun

ruffle

RUH-fuhl

Ruffle (noun) means a gathered, frilled strip of fabric used as decoration on clothing. Example: “The dress had delicate ruffles along the hem.”

noun

A gathered, frilled strip of fabric used as decoration on clothing.

"The dress had delicate ruffles along the hem."

verb

To disturb the smoothness of something, or to upset or irritate someone.

"The wind ruffled the surface of the lake."

"His blunt comment ruffled a few feathers at the meeting."

How to use ruffle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo make something (or someone) less smooth or calm — literally messing up fabric or feathers, or figuratively annoying someone.

Common pairings

ruffle feathers ruffle someone's hair ruffled sleeves

Word forms

ruffled past tense, ruffles plural, ruffles singular

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The dress had delicate _____ along the hem.

Etymology

From Middle English ruffelen, of Germanic origin, related to words meaning "to wrinkle" or "to graze."

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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mix disturbance flick shuffle fray ripple swagger strut ruff fluff choker prance

Related words

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Rhymes for ruffle

scuffle shuffle souffle

See all rhymes for ruffle →

Frequently asked questions

What does “ruffle” mean?

The word “ruffle” means a gathered, frilled strip of fabric used as decoration on clothing. In plain terms, to make something (or someone) less smooth or calm — literally messing up fabric or feathers, or figuratively annoying someone.

How do you pronounce “ruffle”?

“Ruffle” is pronounced RUH-fuhl (/ˈɹʌfəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “ruffle” in a sentence?

Here is “ruffle” used in a sentence: “The dress had delicate ruffles along the hem.”

What part of speech is “ruffle”?

Depending on how it is used, “ruffle” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “ruffle” come from?

The word “ruffle” comes from Middle English. From Middle English ruffelen, of Germanic origin, related to words meaning "to wrinkle" or "to graze.".

How many meanings does “ruffle” have?

“Ruffle” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a gathered, frilled strip of fabric used as decoration on clothing.

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