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Riff vs Groove - What's the difference?

riff | groove |

As nouns the difference between riff and groove

is that riff is a repeated instrumental melody line in a song while groove is a long, narrow channel or depression; e.g., such a slot cut into a hard material to provide a location for an engineering component, a tyre groove, or a geological channel or depression.

As verbs the difference between riff and groove

is that riff is to improvise in the performance or practice of an art, especially by expanding on or making novel use of traditional themes while groove is to cut a groove or channel in; to form into channels or grooves; to furrow.

riff

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A repeated instrumental melody line in a song.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2009 , date=November 27 , author= , title=Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Child has 'best guitar riff' , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Child has been named the greatest guitar riff of all time, 41 years after it was recorded, in a poll by website Music Radar.}}
  • A clever or witty remark.
  • A variation on something.
  • *2012 , The Economist, London Skyline: Tower Power
    • Both the Orbit and the Pinnacle are riffs on an idea sketched out in 1917 by Vladimir Tatlin for a monument to international communism.
  • A spoof
  • * 26 June 2014 , A.A Dowd, AV Club Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler spoof rom-com clichés in They Came Together [http://www.avclub.com/review/paul-rudd-and-amy-poehler-spoof-rom-com-cliches-th-206220]
    • The creative team has experience with spoofing: Both Rudd and Poehler had parts in Wain’s Wet Hot American Summer, a hysterically irreverent riff on ’80s summer-camp comedies.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To improvise in the performance or practice of an art, especially by expanding on or making novel use of traditional themes.

    • See also

    * riff-raff * riffraff

    groove

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A long, narrow channel or depression; e.g., such a slot cut into a hard material to provide a location for an engineering component, a tyre groove, or a geological channel or depression.
  • A fixed routine
  • * (rfdate) J. Morley
    • The gregarious trifling of life in the social groove .
  • *
  • The middle of the strike zone in baseball where a pitch is most easily hit.
  • A pronounced, enjoyable rhythm.
  • (mining) A shaft or excavation.

    • Derived terms

    * groovy * tongue and groove

    Verb

    (groov)
  • To cut a groove or channel in; to form into channels or grooves; to furrow.
  • To create, dance to, or enjoy rhythmic music.
    • I was just starting to groove to the band, when we had to leave.

    Anagrams

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