Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
dictionary thesaurus view recents

rafale

noun
Save Word
ra·​fale | \ rəˈfal \
plural -s

Definition of rafale

: a burst of artillery fire consisting of several rounds discharged as rapidly as possible from each gun of a battery

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for rafale

French, literally, squall, gust of wind, probably from Middle French rafle, raffe act of snatching

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about rafale

Statistics for rafale

Cite this Entry

“Rafale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rafale. Accessed 20 Oct. 2020.

Comments on rafale

What made you want to look up rafale? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

visage

Listen to the pronunciation of visage

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Farm Idioms Quiz

  • cow coming home
  • What does 'poke' refer to in the expression 'pig in a poke'?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Syn City

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games