ricochet
ricochet Lexical Profile
ricochet Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To rebound, skip, or bounce one or more times off a surface after striking it at an angle.
"Hailstones began to ricochet off the slate roof and scatter across the garden path during the sudden summer storm."
To move, shift, or fluctuate rapidly and unpredictably from one state, topic, or place to another.
"The lively panel discussion continued to ricochet between economic policy, environmental history, and urban design."
• noun
A rebound, bounce, or skipping motion of a fast-moving object or projectile after striking a surface at an oblique angle.
"The squash ball made a sharp ricochet off the back wall of the court, catching the opposing player off guard."
Word Nuance & Usage
The inflected verb forms may be spelled with either a single or double 't' (ricocheted/ricochetted and ricocheting/ricochetting), though the single 't' is more common in American English while the final consonant remains silent in the base form (/ˈrɪkəʃeɪ/).
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-18th century from French ricochet, which originally referred to the game of skipping flat stones across the surface of water.