ripper

rip·per
R1I1P3P3E1R1
UK/ˈɹɪpə/US/ˈɹɪpɚ/

noun

Something that rips something else.

“Jack the Ripper”

CommonScrabble 10

Meanings

ripper1

nounripper (plural rippers)

plural rippers

  1. Something that rips something else.
  2. Someone who rips something.
  3. A legislative bill or act that transfers powers of appointment from the usual holders to a chief executive or a board of officials.
  4. A murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade or similar sharp weapon.

    Jack the Ripper

  5. businessA hook-like tool used to tear away ore, rock, etc.
  6. businessA person employed to tear away ore, rock, etc. to make a passage for material to be carried to the surface.
  7. 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 334
    2 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
  8. computingSoftware that extracts content from files or storage media.
  9. agricultureA tool or plant used to reduce soil compaction.
  10. New JerseyUSslangA hot dog deep-fried in oil until the casing bursts.
adjectiveripper (not comparable)
  1. 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

nounripper (plural rippers)

plural rippers · alternative ripier · alternative rippier

  1. 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

proper nounRipper (plural Rippers)

plural Rippers

Ripper4

proper nounthe Ripper
  1. abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of Jack the Ripper
nounRipper (plural Rippers)

plural Rippers

  1. Alternative letter-case form of ripper
    1. informalA vicious murderer
    2. informalA serial killer

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Origin

ripper · noun, adjective

  1. Proto-Indo-European*Hrew-?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*Hrewp-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*Hrupnéh₂ti
  4. Proto-Germanic*ruppōną
  5. Proto-West Germanic*ruppōn
  6. Old English*ruppian?
  7. Proto-Indo-European*Hrewp-
  8. Proto-Germanic*rupp-
  9. Proto-Germanic*rupjaną
  10. Proto-West Germanic*ruppjan
  11. Old English*ryppan?
  12. Middle Englishryppen
  13. Middle Englishrippen
  14. Englishrip
  15. 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

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-“to bend”
  2. Proto-Germanic*hrepaz
  3. Old Norsehrip
  4. Middle Englishripier“basket”
  5. 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.

Full word history & related roots →

Ripper · proper noun, noun

From ripper, from rip+-er

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

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

ripper. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ripper

MLA

“ripper.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ripper. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ripper,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ripper.

Source: ripper on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.