'riffle-shuffle' originates from modern English as a compound of 'riffle' and 'shuffle'. 'riffle' is an imitative/vernacular verb attested from early modern English meaning to flip or turn quickly (often used for pages or cards), and 'shuffle' comes from Middle English 'schufflen' (a frequentative form) ultimately related to Old English roots meaning 'to push/drag'.

'riffle' appeared in early modern English to describe quick flipping actions (e.g. riffling pages); 'shuffle' came from Middle English 'schufflen'. The compound 'riffle-shuffle' developed in card-playing contexts by the 19th century to name the specific interleaving shuffle and later produced verb forms such as 'riffle-shuffled'.

Initially, the elements referred generally to quick flipping or sliding actions; combined as 'riffle-shuffle' the term narrowed to the specific card-mixing technique of interleaving two packet halves. That specialized meaning has remained common in card contexts and transferred metaphorically to similar interleaving actions.