rover

1 of 2

noun (1)

ro·​ver ˈrō-vər How to pronounce rover (audio)
: pirate

rover

2 of 2

noun (2)

rov·​er ˈrō-vər How to pronounce rover (audio)
1
: a random or long-distance mark in archery
usually used in plural
2
3
: a player who is not assigned to a specific position on a team and who plays wherever needed
4
: a vehicle for exploring the surface of an extraterrestrial body (such as the moon or Mars)

Examples of rover in a Sentence

Noun (2) ever since he developed a strong case of wanderlust in college, he's been a rover a story of the days when sea rovers plied the Caribbean
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Sporting a sleek metallic finish and ice-blue LED lighting, the Eagle rover turned quite a few heads on the expo floor this year. Brett Tingley, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2025 Dust devils are common occurrences on the Martian surface that NASA has regularly observed since the 1970s with rovers on the ground and orbiters from above. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025 The largest one closest to the rover measured 210 feet in width. Amanda Kooser, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 The rover drilled the Cumberland sample from an area within a crater called Yellowknife Bay, which resembled an ancient lake bed. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rover

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Middle Dutch, from roven to rob; akin to Old English rēafian to reave — more at reave

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rover was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rover. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

rover

1 of 2 noun
ro·​ver ˈrō-vər How to pronounce rover (audio)

rover

2 of 2 noun
rov·​er ˈrō-vər How to pronounce rover (audio)
: a person who roves around : roamer

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