ruffle
/ˈɹʌfəl/noun, verb
ruffle is spelled R-U-F-F-L-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,459th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, ruffle means “Any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of ruffle is ruffles.
How many letters and syllables are in ruffle?
| Letters | 6: R-U-F-F-L-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 37,459th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is ruffle?
Ruffle appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,459th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce ruffle?
- /ˈɹʌfəl/
Ruffle has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-ruffle.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of ruffle
- ruffles plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- ruffling participle, present
- ruffled participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does ruffle mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration.
She loved the dress with the lace ruffle at the hem.
- 2
Disturbance; agitation; commotion.
to put the mind in a ruffle
- 3
A low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll; a ruff.
- 4
The connected series of large egg capsules, or oothecae, of several species of American marine gastropods of the genus Fulgur.
verb
- 1
To make a ruffle in; to curl or flute, as an edge of fabric.
Ruffle the end of the cuff.
- 2
To disturb; especially, to cause to flutter.
The wind ruffled the papers.
- 3
To grow rough, boisterous, or turbulent.
- 4
To become disordered; to play loosely; to flutter.
- 5
To be rough; to jar; to be in contention; hence, to put on airs; to swagger.
- 6
To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle.
- 7
To erect in a ruff, as feathers.
- 8
To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Ruffle in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | falbala , ébouriffer |
| German | Rüsche, Krause , kräuseln |
| Portuguese | dobra, prega, babado , barrar , agitar |
| Spanish | volante , retorcer |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does ruffle come from?
From Middle English ruffelen, perhaps from Old Norse hrufla (“to graze, scratch”) or Middle Low German ruffelen (“to wrinkle, curl”). Further origin unknown. Related to Middle Dutch ruyffelen, German Low German ruffeln. See English ruff.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).