ripe

American  

[rahyp] / raɪp /

adjective

riper, ripest

1. having arrived at such a stage of growth or development as to be ready for reaping, gathering, eating, or use, as grain or fruit; completely matured.

   Synonyms:

   aged, grown

2. resembling such fruit, as in ruddiness and fullness.

   ripe, red lips.

3. advanced to the point of being in the best condition for use, as cheese or beer.

4. fully grown or developed, as animals when ready to be killed and used for food.

5. arrived at the highest or a high point of development or excellence; mature.

6. of mature judgment or knowledge.

   ripe scholars; a ripe mind.

7. characterized by full development of body or mind.

   of ripe years.

8. (of time) advanced.

   a ripe old age.

9. (of ideas, plans, etc.) ready for action, execution, etc.

10. (of people) fully prepared or ready to do or undergo something.

    He was ripe for a change in jobs.

11. fully or sufficiently advanced; ready enough; auspicious.

    The time is ripe for a new foreign policy.

12. ready for some operation or process.

    a ripe abscess.

13. Archaic. drunk.

    reeling ripe.

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ripe British  

/ raɪp /

adjective

1. (of fruit, grain, etc) mature and ready to be eaten or used; fully developed

2. mature enough to be eaten or used

   ripe cheese

3. fully developed in mind or body

4. resembling ripe fruit, esp in redness or fullness

   a ripe complexion

5. ready or eager (to undertake or undergo an action)

6. suitable; right or opportune

   the time is not yet ripe

7. mature in judgment or knowledge

8. advanced but healthy (esp in the phrase a ripe old age )

9. slang

   1. complete; thorough

   2. excessive; exorbitant

10. slang slightly indecent; risqué

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ripe Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing ripe

• time is ripe

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Related Words

Ripe, mature, mellow refer to that which is no longer in an incomplete stage of development. Ripe implies completed growth beyond which the processes of decay begin: a ripe banana. Mature means fully grown and developed as used of living organisms: a mature animal; a mature tree. Mellow denotes complete absence of sharpness or asperity, with sweetness and richness such as characterize ripeness or age: mellow fruit; mellow flavor.

Other Word Forms

• half-ripe adjective
• ripely adverb
• ripeness noun

Etymology

Origin of ripe

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English rīpe; cognate with Dutch rijp, German reif; akin to Old English ripan “to harvest, reap”; reap

Example Sentences

If the mango was ripe, its yellow juice would run down my wrists and make my hands sticky.

From Literature

Now, with rates above 2%, divergence in monetary policy across the world and bouts of volatility and dispersion in stock markets, conditions are ripe for hedge funds to perform well.

From The Wall Street Journal

When Silver Lake became a neighborhood ripe with advantage, the needs shifted.

From Los Angeles Times

The media industry has been ripe for dealmaking as advancements like AI and streaming force traditional players to rethink their businesses or consolidate.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sitting on the deck, I put my nose to the glass and breathed in aromas of light peat, ripe plums, shortbread and, floating in on the breeze, sea air.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• mature
• overdue
• plump
• prepared
• ready