# rip current

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A strong flow of surface water, away from the shore, that returns water from incoming waves.

## Etymology
Coined as a more accurate replacement for the earlier term "riptide", as the phenomenon is not related to the tides.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/rip-current