riffle

1 of 2

verb

rif·​fle ˈri-fəl How to pronounce riffle (audio)
riffled; riffling ˈri-f(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce riffle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to form, flow over, or move in riffles
2
: to flip cursorily : thumb
riffle through the catalog

transitive verb

1
: to ruffle slightly : ripple
2
a
: to leaf through hastily
specifically : to leaf by sliding a thumb along the edge of the leaves
riffle a stack of paper
b
: to shuffle (playing cards) by separating the deck into two parts and riffling with the thumbs so the cards intermix
3
: to manipulate (small objects) idly between the fingers

riffle

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a shallow extending across a streambed and causing broken water
b
: a stretch of water flowing over a riffle
2
: a small wave or succession of small waves : ripple
3
a
: any of various contrivances (such as blocks or rails) laid on the bottom of a sluice or launder to make a series of grooves or interstices to catch and retain a mineral (such as gold)
b
: a groove or interstice so formed
4
: a cleat or bar fastened to an inclined surface in a gold-washing apparatus to catch and hold mineral grains
5
[riffle entry 1]
a
: the act or process of shuffling something (such as a deck of cards)
b
: the sound made while doing this

Examples of riffle in a Sentence

Verb He riffled the pages of the magazine. Web research is convenient but doesn't offer the tactile pleasures of riffling through heavy old books.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Palm fronds riffled in the hot breeze as the sky darkened and the air smelled, mysteriously, of salad dressing. Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2024 Highlight reels of 13 SEC quarterbacks Milton was the talk of the offseason after riffling passes longer than 70 yards at the Manning Passing Academy in June. Stefan Krajisnik, USA TODAY, 20 July 2023
Noun
On the water, target current breaks, pools, and deep riffles where trout will wait and ambush their food. Max Inchausti, Field & Stream, 12 June 2024 Sandbars and rock bars and gravel bars could be broken down into a full taxonomy describing their size and shape and orientation: chains and traps, riffles and reefs. Boyce Upholt, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for riffle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'riffle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

perhaps alteration of ruffle

First Known Use

Verb

1754, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of riffle was in 1754

Dictionary Entries Near riffle

Cite this Entry

“Riffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riffle. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

riffle

1 of 2 verb
rif·​fle ˈrif-əl How to pronounce riffle (audio)
riffled; riffling ˈrif-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce riffle (audio)
1
: to form, flow over, or move in riffles
2
: to ruffle slightly : ripple
3
a
: to flip or leaf through in a hurry
b
: to shuffle playing cards by separating the deck into two parts and sliding the thumbs along the edges so that the cards are mixed

riffle

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a shallow extending across a stream bed and causing broken water
b
: a stretch of water flowing over a riffle
2
: a small wave or succession of small waves : ripple
3
: the act or process of shuffling (as cards)

More from Merriam-Webster on riffle

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