ruffled
AmericanEtymology
Origin of ruffled
Explanation
Ruffled things are frilly, or edged with fancy ruffles. Your little sister might love her ruffled dress so much that she wants to wear it every day. A bird's ruffled feathers provide it some protection as well as looking attractive to potential mates. You can also describe things that are mussed or rumpled, by a hand or the wind, for example, as ruffled. Your dog's ruffled fur might be caused by the breeze — or she might have her hackles up because she sees her mortal enemy, the mail carrier. The root of ruffled is probably the Low German ruffelen, "to wrinkle or curl."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It was a night when Newcastle ruffled one or two feathers.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
Before that, the Rockies — who beat the Dodgers twice in 13 meetings all of last season — chased starter Roki Sasaki from the game in the fifth inning and then ruffled the Dodgers’ relievers.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould’s views on digital assets and innovation have ruffled the feathers of some in the banking industry.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
This ruffled feathers in a way none of her previous campaigns had, and the pushback she received only fed her beliefs about vast conspiracies.
From Slate • Feb. 27, 2026
Angie’s room was pink and ruffled, carpeted, and decorated with stuffed animals, dolls, and pictures of American movie stars.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
