Ruffle
/ˈrʌf.əl/noun
To make rough, uneven, or wavy; also, to disturb or agitate.
Did you know?Ruffle is historically tied to the same Germanic root as rough and roil, so the word began as a physical idea of making something uneven before it became a mood, a fabric trim, and a verb for emotional disturbance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*rūþaz / *rūflōn
“to make rough, stir up, or disturb”
Old English
OE
rūfian
“to roughen or make uneven”
Middle English
ME
rufflen
“to disturb, disorder, or make wrinkled”
16th Century
English
ruffle
“to wrinkle, crumple, or agitate”
Modern English
English
ruffle
“to make rough or wavy; to disturb or unsettle”