Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   rife

   /rʌɪf/

   adjective

   • 1. (especially of something undesirable) of common occurrence; widespread: "male chauvinism was rife in medicine" Similar widespreadgeneralcommonuniversalextensiveubiquitousglobalomnipresenteverywherepresent everywherepandemicepidemicendemicinescapableinsidiousprevalentpenetratingpervadingpervasivepermeatingimmanentrare:permeativesuffusivepermeantOpposite scarceunknown
   • ▪ full of: "the streets were rife with rumour and fear" Similar overflowingburstingaliveswarmingteemingseethinglousyabounding inabundant inoverrun byfull ofOpposite devoid of

   adverb

   • 1. in an unchecked or widespread manner: "speculation ran rife that he was an arms dealer"

   Word Origin late Old Englishrȳfe, probably from Old Norse rīfr ‘acceptable’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. rifeness noun

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • R

     1

   • I

     1

   • F

     4

   • E

     1

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points