Ripple

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈɹɪp(ə)l/

Definitions

1. A series of small waves forming on a liquid surface caused by a disturbance, and an effect that gradually spreads within a system or environment
2. A slight undulation appearing on the surface of water typically caused by wind or an object ; a subtle influence or change that extends gradually through a group or area
3. A gentle wave pattern created on a liquid's surface by a minor disruption ; a continuing and spreading impact or consequence within an environment

Etymology: The word's surprising thread runs through a Low German ancestor rather than through anything to do with water. Its roots lie in "repe," a word for the ripple-like combing or hackling of flax, which is why the sound of the English word is tied to a Dutch and German family of terms rather than to Latin or French. Over time the sense shifted from the pulling-apart of plant fibres toward the rhythmic lines on a surface. The English word grew from Middle English "ripelen" and "repulen," built from "rip" with the frequentative suffix "-le," which signals repeated or continued action. A ripple is therefore, at its root, something that keeps rippling: a sequence of small motions rather than one event. The verb came first in this form, and the noun followed from it. An older variant, "rimple," shows the word once carried a different vowel and sound, and a dialect form "thripple" also appeared, showing how readily the initial consonants shifted in regional speech.

Synonyms: wave, undulate, sway, flow, fluctuate

Antonyms: calm, still, smooth, flatten, steady