Riot Meaning
/ˈɹaɪ.ət/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group of people, often involving violence or damage to property.
nounA wide and unconstrained variety.
Sentence Examples
The riot police arrived on the scene.
The riot was suppressed without difficulty.
One prison guard was killed when a riot broke out in the jail.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The angry crowd started a violent ____ after the unfair decision was announced.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The announcement of the verdict sparked a ____ in the city center that lasted through the night.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English riot (“debauched living, dissipation”), from Old French riote (“debate”), from rioter (“to quarrel”), perhaps related to riboter or from Latin rugio (“to roar”). Compare French riotte and Occitan riòta.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The human world is contracting not only prospectively but to the backward-probing eye of culture-history. Nevertheless we are as yet far from able to reduce the riot of spoken languages to a small number of “stocks.”"
— 1921, Edward Sapir, chapter VII, in Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech:
"Check this out! We have to get this! I can't believe all this stuff! This is a total riot!"
— 1997, Daniel Clowes, “The First Time”, in Ghost World, Jonathan Cape, published 2000, →ISBN, page 34:
"They call me "quiet girl", but I'm a riot"
— 2007, Jules De Martino, Katie White, “That's Not My Name”, performed by The Ting Tings:
"For when his head-ſtrong Riot hath no Curbe,"
— c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 93:
"the lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day"
— 1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The angry crowd started a violent ____ after the unfair decision was announced.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The announcement of the verdict sparked a ____ in the city center that lasted through the night.