<p><strong>noun</strong></p><ul><li>A melodic phrase, often constantly repeated, forming an accompaniment or part of an accompaniment for a soloist.</li><li>A new variation on or a different manifestation of an existing thing or idea (often followed by on): This is an eco-conscious riff on the study-abroad experience.</li></ul><p><strong>verb</strong></p><ul><li>To perform a repeated melodic phrase, forming an accompaniment for a soloist.</li><li>To experiment with a thing or idea, making changes that create a new and novel version of it (often followed by on): My partner likes to let his ideas quietly simmer, but I prefer to riff on mine in conversations where I can bounce my thoughts off other people.</li><li>To create, write, or perform something, like a comedy routine, using a common or known point of departure and following a previously unexplored tangent from that known point to a fresh or humorous perspective (often followed by on or off): My act riffs off famous love stories and adds modern feminist elements to unmask the absurdity of “happily ever after” in fairy tales.</li></ul><p><strong>End of Response</strong></p>