Ricochet: meaning, definitions and examples

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ricochet

[ ˈrɪkəʃeɪ ]

^{Context #1}

in physics

The rebound of a projectile or bullet off a surface

Synonyms

deflection, rebound, ricochetting

Examples of usage

The bullet ricocheted off the wall and hit the target.
The stone ricocheted off the water surface and skipped several times.

^{Context #2}

in conversation

To quickly change direction or topic in a conversation

Synonyms

digress, shift, veer

Examples of usage

During the meeting, he would often ricochet from one topic to another.
She tends to ricochet between different ideas when she speaks.

Translations

Translations of the word "ricochet" in other languages:

🇵🇹 ricochete

🇮🇳 रिकोशे

🇩🇪 Abpraller

🇮🇩 pantulan

🇺🇦 рикошет

🇵🇱 rykoszet

🇯🇵 跳弾 (ちょうだん)

🇫🇷 ricochet

🇪🇸 rebote

🇹🇷 sekme

🇰🇷 리코셰

🇸🇦 ارتداد

🇨🇿 rikochet

🇸🇰 odrazenie

🇨🇳 跳弹 (tiào dàn)

🇸🇮 rikochet

🇮🇸 skopskot

🇰🇿 рикошет

🇬🇪 რიკოშეტი

🇦🇿 rikoset

🇲🇽 rebote

Word origin

The word 'ricochet' originates from the French word 'ricocher', which means 'to skim or skip along'. It was first recorded in English in the early 18th century. The concept of a projectile rebounding off a surface has been observed for centuries, but the term 'ricochet' became popular in military and physics contexts. Today, it is commonly used in both literal and metaphorical contexts to describe quick changes in direction or topic.