riot

Definition

A tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group of people, often involving violence or damage to property.

Etymology

From Middle English riot (“debauched living, dissipation”), from Old French riote (“debate”), from rioter (“to quarrel”), perhaps related to riboter or from Latin rugio (“I roar”). Compare French riotte and Occitan riòta.

Example Sentences

• "The protests began peacefully but turned into riots after several days."
• "In summer this flower garden is a riot of colour."
• "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.”"

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