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
The Nokia hardware affixed to the lander was also stuck on two payloads designed to move away from it — a mini rover and a hopper. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2025 Athena has some nifty ones, including a small rover from Lunar Outpost, a data center from Lonestar Data Holdings, and a 4G cellular network from Nokia. Ars Technica, 5 Mar. 2025 There's also a small rover that will be used to test a 4-G local communications network built by Nokia, and a miniature rover small enough to fit in the palm of your hand made by the Japanese firm Dymon Co. Ltd. Joe Palca, NPR, 26 Feb. 2025 The robotic explorer will even carry a smaller, matchbook-size rover, called AstroAnt. Jackie Wattles, CNN, 26 Feb. 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 12 Mar. 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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