What does ripper mean?
A ripper is, literally, someone or something that tears or cuts. The word can refer to a person whose work involves ripping materials, to a tool with a cutting edge, or to an implement designed to tear something into strips. In informal North American English, a ripper may instead be an unusually powerful or impressive car, motorcycle, or machine, as in “a real ripper.” An older sense refers to a thief or violent criminal and survives chiefly in the name Jack the Ripper, the nickname given to the unidentified killer active in London in 1888. The word often suggests force, speed, or rough cutting power. Although its basic meaning remains straightforward, its historical and automotive uses give it a darker and more colorful character than a neutral word such as “cutter.” In modern writing, the intended sense is usually clear from context.
nounA person or tool that rips or tears something. The word can also denote an exceptionally powerful or impressive machine, or, historically, a thief or criminal.
- A person or implement that rips, tears, or cuts something.
- An exceptionally powerful, fast, or impressive car or other machine, especially in North American informal usage.
- A thief, pickpocket, or violent criminal, now chiefly encountered in historical contexts.
"The carpenter used a sharp ripper to cut the old board into narrow strips."
"The ripper sliced through the tough stalks with a single pull."
"That old roadster is an absolute ripper."
The regular plural is “rippers.”
"Several rippers were used to open the damaged cartons."
“Jack the Ripper” became the enduring name for the unidentified London killer whose grisly work terrorized the city in 1888.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ripper come from?
“Ripper” is an agent noun formed from “rip” and the suffix “-er,” originally denoting a person or instrument that rips. “Rip” belongs to a Germanic word family associated with tearing or rending; related cognates include “riven” and “rift,” while “river” developed through a different sense involving the tearing or rapid flow of water. The derivative “ripper” has long been used for both tearing implements and thieves, with the now-familiar special use for Jack the Ripper emerging in the late nineteenth century.
How ripper is actually used
The machine sense is informal and especially common in North American English. The criminal sense is now largely historical, although it remains prominent in discussion of Jack the Ripper.
Easily confused with ripper
A ripper tears or cuts something, whereas a riper is a fruit that is more mature and ready to eat.