Where does “riff” come from?
Riff comes from Middle English rif, from Old Norse rif, from Proto-Germanic ribją, from Proto-Indo-European krep-, meaning to turn or bend.
riff (English): A repeated instrumental melody line in a song; A...
Definitions
- A repeated instrumental melody line in a song; A...
Ancestry of “riff”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | rif | — |
| 2 | Old English | hrif | body; womb; belly |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | hrif | womb |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hrefaz | body; torso; stomach |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱrep- | — |
Words derived from “riff”