English

Noun

ripper ‎(plural rippers)

1. Something that rips (something else).
2. Someone who rips (something).
3. A legislative bill or act that transfers powers of appointment from the usual holders to a chief executive or a board of officials.
4. A murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade or similar sharp weapon.
5. (mining) A hook-like tool used to tear away ore, rock, etc.
6. (Britain, Australia, slang) Something that is an excellent example of its kind.
   • 2001, Filton Hebbard, Memories of Kalgoorlie: Tales from the Australian Outback (page 334)

     Martin walked around the vehicle, viewing it from all angles and giggling as he did so. “She's a ripper, Bert, a real ripper!”

7. (computing) Software that extracts content from files or storage media.
8. (agriculture) A tool or plant used to reduce soil compaction.
9. (US, New Jersey, slang) A hot dog deep-fried in oil until the casing bursts.

Derived terms

• radish ripper

Translations

References

• “ripper” in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000.
• “ripper” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.
• "ripper" in WordNet 2.0, Princeton University, 2003.

Etymology 2

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

Alternative forms

• ripler

Noun

ripper ‎(plural rippers)

1. (obsolete) One who brings fish from the seacoast to markets in inland towns.
   • Beaumont and Fletcher

     But what's the action we are for now? Robbing a ripper of his fish.