Standard Lemma guide

ripper

adj · name · noun · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɹɪpə/
  • General-American: rĭpʹər
  • General-American: /ˈɹɪpɚ/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪpə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH1 P ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Very good; excellent; fantastic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, UK, not-comparable, slang

Examples

  • 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.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

name

Meaning 2

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

name

Meaning 3

Ellipsis of Jack the Ripper

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Something that rips something else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Someone who rips something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A legislative bill or act that transfers powers of appointment from the usual holders to a chief executive or a board of officials.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade or similar sharp weapon.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Jack the Ripper

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A hook-like tool used to tear away ore, rock, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, mining

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A person employed to tear away ore, rock, etc. to make a passage for material to be carried to the surface.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, mining

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

Something that is an excellent example of its kind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, UK, slang

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)

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

Software that extracts content from files or storage media.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

A tool or plant used to reduce soil compaction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: agriculture, business, lifestyle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

A hot dog deep-fried in oil until the casing bursts.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: New-Jersey, US, slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

noun

Meaning 14

A foghorn.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

noun

Meaning 15

One who brings fish from the seacoast to markets in inland towns.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

noun

Meaning 16

Alternative letter-case form of ripper

A vicious murderer

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

noun

Meaning 17

Alternative letter-case form of ripper

A serial killer

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

noun

Meaning 18

a murderer who slashes the victims with a knife

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Jack the Ripper was probably a madman

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: murderer, liquidator, manslayer

History

Etymology

From rip + -er; originated 1605–15.

* 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.

From ripper, from rip+-er

Compare rip (“a basket”), or riparian (“relating to a river bank”).

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Polish: bajer — Translations
  • French: ripeur — someone who rips (something)
  • Bulgarian: изкормвач (izkormvač) — murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
  • Finnish: viiltäjä — murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
  • Finnish: ruumiinsilpoja — murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
  • French: éventreur — murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
  • Italian: squartatore — murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
  • Portuguese: estripador — murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
  • Spanish: destripador — murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade
  • Russian: зачёт (začót) — slang: something that is an excellent example of its kind
  • Finnish: kopioitsin — software
  • Finnish: poimuri — software
  • Finnish: ripperi — software
  • Portuguese: ripador — software