windruffled

Windruffled is an adjective used to describe something that has been disturbed or disheveled by the wind. It conveys a sense of gentle, natural disarray caused by air currents. The term can be applied to a variety of objects and even living things.

For instance, one might describe hair as windruffled after spending time outdoors on a breezy day. Similarly, the surface of water can appear windruffled, showing small waves and ripples. Leaves on trees or on the ground can also be windruffled, rustling and shifting as the wind passes through them. The effect is typically one of movement and a lack of perfect neatness.

The word combines "wind" with "ruffled," suggesting that the wind has caused a slight commotion or disturbance, akin to feathers being ruffled. It evokes imagery of natural forces at play and is often used in descriptive writing to add a touch of atmosphere or realism. It is not a technical term but rather a descriptive one, found in literature and everyday language. The visual it creates is one of gentle, transient disorder, a direct consequence of the wind's passage.