Meanings
ripper1
plural rippers
- Something that rips something else.
- Someone who rips something.
- A legislative bill or act that transfers powers of appointment from the usual holders to a chief executive or a board of officials.
- businessA hook-like tool used to tear away ore, rock, etc.
- businessA person employed to tear away ore, rock, etc. to make a passage for material to be carried to the surface.
- AustraliaUKslangSomething that is an excellent example of its kind.
Martin walked around the vehicle, viewing it from all angles and giggling as he did so. “She's a ripper, Bert, a real ripper!”
2001, Filton Hebbard, Memories of Kalgoorlie: Tales from the Australian Outback, page 3342 more examples
He [Rafael Nadal] didn't convert that but gained the advantage and launched another ripper of a forehand to force the error from Tsitsipas on the volley. (Thurston, E. November 15, 2019, Rafael Nadal digs deep to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas at ATP Finals. Sky UK https://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/11862011/rafael-nadal-digs-deep-to-beat-stefanos-tsitsipas-at-atp-finals accessed August 29, 2020)
Really, the Strauss Ball was in a category of its own, which is why we are making such a fuss about it; an absolute ripper of a ball whatever the hell it should be called in technical terms.
2018, Gary Cox, Cricket Ball, page 242 - agricultureA tool or plant used to reduce soil compaction.
- A foghorn.
- AustraliaUKnot comparableslangVery good; excellent; fantastic.
2019 Kobe Howard, Coaches Wrap Brisbane Lions, 30 April 2019. Accessed 6 May 2019. Not only did Lachie Neale have another stand out game with 28 disposals and a ripper goal from outside 50, but Lions debutant Noah Answerth slotted in nicely picking up 5 intercept marks.
ripper2
plural rippers · alternative ripier · alternative rippier
- obsoleteOne who brings fish from the seacoast to markets in inland towns.
But what's the action we are for now? Robbing a ripper of his fish.
c. 1622, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger [et al.?], “Beggars Bush”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act V, scene i
Ripper3
Ripper4
- abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of Jack the Ripper
plural Rippers
- Alternative letter-case form of ripper
- informalA vicious murderer
- informalA serial killer
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
ripper · noun, adjective
- Proto-Indo-European*Hrew-?
- Proto-Indo-European*Hrewp-
- Proto-Indo-European*Hrupnéh₂ti
- Proto-Germanic*ruppōną
- Proto-West Germanic*ruppōn
- Old English*ruppian?
- Proto-Indo-European*Hrewp-
- Proto-Germanic*rupp-
- Proto-Germanic*rupjaną
- Proto-West Germanic*ruppjan
- Old English*ryppan?
- Middle Englishryppen
- Middle Englishrippen
- Englishrip
- Englishripper
From rip + -er; originated 1605–15.
Full word history & related roots →ripper · noun
Compare rip (“a basket”), or riparian (“relating to a river bank”).
Full word history & related roots →Ripper · proper noun
- Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-“to bend”
- Proto-Germanic*hrepaz
- Old Norsehrip
- Middle Englishripier“basket”
- EnglishRipper
* As an English surname, from Middle English ripier (“basket”), from Old Norse hrip, from Proto-Germanic *hrepaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend”). * As a Scottish surname, from Middle English reper (“reaper, harvester”) (modern reaper). * As a German surname, variant of Ripp.
More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian изкормвач
- изкормвач (izkormvač)murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
Finnish viiltäjä, ruumiinsilpoja
- viiltäjämurderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
- ruumiinsilpojamurderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
- kopioitsinsoftware
- poimurisoftware
- ripperisoftware
French ripeur, éventreur
- ripeursomeone who rips (something)
- éventreurmurderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
Italian squartatore
- squartatoremurderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
Polish bajer
- bajerTranslations
Portuguese estripador, ripador
- estripadormurderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
- ripadorsoftware
Russian зачёт
- зачёт (začót)slang: something that is an excellent example of its kind
Spanish destripador
- destripadormurderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with ripper
Cite this entry
ripper. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ripper
“ripper.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ripper. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ripper,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ripper.
Source: ripper on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.