rose

1 of 4

past tense of rise

rose

2 of 4

noun (1)

plural roses
1
a
: any of a genus (Rosa of the family Rosaceae, the rose family) of erect, climbing, or trailing shrubs native to temperate and subtropical regions of the northern hemisphere that have showy flowers which are usually red, white, pink, or yellow in color and which have five petals in the wild state but typically 20 to 40 under cultivation, that have prickles on the branches and stems, and that have finely serrated oval leaflets
b
: the flower of a rose
2
: something resembling a rose in form: such as
a(1)
(2)
: a circular card with radiating lines used in other instruments
b
: a rosette (see rosette sense 1) especially on an article of clothing, a shoe, etc.
c
3
roses plural : an easy or pleasant situation or task
it was not all sunshine and rosesAnthony Lewis
4
: a moderate purplish red
5
: a plane curve which consists of three or more loops meeting at the origin and whose equation in polar coordinates is of the form ρ = a sin nθ or ρ = a cos nθ where n is an integer greater than zero
roselike adjective

rose

3 of 4

adjective

1
a
: containing or used for roses
b
: of or relating to a rose
c
: flavored, scented, or colored with or like roses
2
: of the color rose

rosé

4 of 4

noun (2)

ro·​sé rō-ˈzā How to pronounce rosé (audio)
: a light pink table wine made from red grapes by removing the skins after fermentation has begun
Phrases
under the rose

Examples of rose in a Sentence

Noun (1) He sent a dozen red roses to his girlfriend on Valentine's Day.
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
Its gourmand-ness is the subtler of the two, layered beautifully with the rose and patchouli. Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024 And when paired with greenery and deep red roses, black calla lilies add drama to any celebration. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Meanwhile, the duo also shared pictures and videos from their Mexico trip, which included them having a glamorous dinner, cocktails and their bed being decorated with rose petals. Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024 The two steel versions, one two-toned with rose gold to create a more vintage feel and the other purely steel, play into the line’s sporty inspiration and feature colorful faces. Kristian Burt, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rose 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, in part going back to Old English rōse, borrowed from Latin rosa "rose, rosebush"; in part borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin rosa, perhaps borrowed from an unattested derivative of Greek rhódon "rose" — more at rhodo-

Note: Latin rosa is similar enough to Greek rhódon that a relationship seems likely, but its nature is unclear. An outcome of rhodéā "rosebush" with a sibilant transmitted to Latin through Etruscan might explain the failure of -s- to rhotacize (unless rhotacism was nullified by the dissimilatory effect of the initial r). Both the Greek and Latin words have been attributed to a Mediterranean substratum, but this does not jibe with the presumed Iranian origin of rhódon.

Adjective

from attributive use of rose entry 2

Noun (2)

borrowed from French (short for vin rosé), from rosé "tinted with rose color, reddish, pink," from rose rose entry 2 + -ate entry 3

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rose was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near rose

Cite this Entry

“Rose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rose. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

rose

1 of 3

past of rise

rose

2 of 3 noun
1
a
: any of a genus of usually prickly sometimes climbing shrubs that have compound leaves and showy often fragrant white, yellow, red, pink, or orange flowers
b
: the flower of a rose
2
: a medium purplish red
roselike adjective

rose

3 of 3 adjective
1
: of, relating to, resembling, or used for the rose or roses
2
: of the color rose

Medical Definition

rose

noun
1
a
: any of a genus (Rosa of the family Rosaceae, the rose family) of usually prickly shrubs with pinnate leaves and showy flowers of which some are sources of rose oil
b
: the flower of a rose
2

Biographical Definition

Rose

biographical name

Irwin A. 1926–2015 American biologist

More from Merriam-Webster on rose

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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