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

Mitchell added that "The presence of the fecal-oral parasites we found suggests conditions were ripe for other intestinal pathogens such as Salmonella and Shigella, which could have triggered additional disease outbreaks."

From Science Daily

In the wake of Zohran Mamdani’s remarkable election on Nov. 4 as New York City’s next mayor — followed by democratic socialist Katie Wilson winning Seattle’s mayoralty — the moment for economic populism seems ripe.

From Salon

Scientists and meteorologists say the conditions for such persistent cloud cover are ripe: an early wet season, cold temperatures and a stable, unmoving high pressure system.

From Los Angeles Times

A fellow Black veteran who lived nearby and knew agriculture told him the area was ripe for mountain farming.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Traditional value sectors like financials and healthcare have been our areas of focus as a steeper yield curve and attractive valuations make them ripe to lead during a period of sector rotation,” he said.

From Barron's

Related Words

• mature
• overdue
• plump
• prepared
• ready