'ricochet' originates from French, specifically the word 'ricochet', where 'rico-' meant 'to rebound' and '-chet' was a diminutive suffix.

'ricochet' changed from the French word 'ricochet' and eventually became the modern English word 'ricochet'.

Initially, it meant 'to rebound or skip off a surface', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.