ripe etymology

Etymology

The word "ripe" comes from the Old English word "rīpe," which is derived from the Germanic root "*reipan-," meaning "to reap" or "to harvest."

Meaning

The primary meaning of "ripe" is:

• (of fruit or vegetables) fully developed and mature, and ready to be eaten or harvested

Origin

The root "reipan-" is shared by several other Germanic words related to harvesting, including:

• Old Norse: "rípa" (to reap)
• German: "reifen" (to ripen)
• Dutch: "rijpen" (to ripen)
• Gothic: "raifs" (ripe)

Additional Meanings

In addition to its primary meaning, "ripe" can also be used metaphorically to refer to:

• Readiness or maturity in a figurative sense
• The right time or moment for something to happen
• The stage of development when something is most suitable for a particular purpose

Examples

• The berries are ripe and ready to pick.
• The students are ripe for learning.
• The time is ripe for change.

ripe relate terms

• reap

  Etymology Middle English repen Old English rīpan Proto Germanic ripaną Proto Indo

• ripe

  Etymology The word ripe comes from the Old English word rīpe which is derived from

• overripe

  Etymology The word overripe is a compound word formed from two Old English roots O

• over

  Etymology The word over derives from the Middle English over which in turn stems fr

• ripe

  Etymology The word ripe comes from the Old English word rīpe which is derived from

• green

  Etymology Middle English as a noun meaning freshly growing or freshly cut grass b

• mature

  Etymology The word mature derives from the Latin word maturus meaning ripe full gr

• good

  Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words It traces the development of wo

• premature

  Etymology The word premature comes from the Latin word praematurus meaning too earl

• mulch

  Etymology The word mulch comes from Middle English mulch meaning to cover with stra

• pumpkin

  Etymology The word pumpkin has its origins in the Greek word pepon πέπων mean

• drupe

  Etymology The word drupe comes from the Latin word drupa which means overripe fruit

• genre

  Etymology The word genre derives from the Old French word gengre which in turn come

• right

  Etymology The word right comes from the Old English word riht which is derived fro