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
For years, the U.S. space agency's Perseverance rover has been scouring Mars and scooping up intriguing rock samples. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025 The center runs many of NASA's high-profile robotic missions, such as the Perseverance and Curiosity Mars rovers and the $5 billion Europa Clipper, which recently launched to explore an intriguing ocean moon of Jupiter. Mike Wall, Space.com, 8 Jan. 2025 The goal of the Mars Sample Return Program, which is being planned jointly with the European Space Agency (ESA), is to retrieve samples of rock, gas and loose surface material that were collected by NASA's Perseverance rover and deliver them back to Earth. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2025 The rover landed on Mars in 2021 and soon drilled its first rock sample. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 7 Jan. 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

Dictionary Entries Near rover

Cite this Entry

“Rover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rover. Accessed 27 Jan. 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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