rover

1 of 2

noun (1)

ro·​ver ˈrō-vər 

: pirate

rover

2 of 2

noun (2)

rov·​er ˈrō-vər 

1

: a random or long-distance mark in archery

—usually used in plural

2

: wanderer, roamer

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)

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• drifter
• gadabout
• gypsy
• knockabout
• maunderer
• nomad
• rambler
• roamer
• stroller
• vagabond
• wanderer
• wayfarer

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

Noun

Above is a sample of a spectacular new panoramic image created using images sent back from Mars by NASA’s Curiosity rover. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025

While the camera has captured Curiosity in color previously, this time the rover happened to fall within the monochrome part of the image. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

What to know about Blue Origin after celebrity spaceflight NASA's Perseverance rover captures 'fiendish' dueling dust devils on Mars: See video What causes the Lyrid meteors? —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025

Carbonates identified by the Curiosity rover indicate a carbon cycle operated on ancient Mars A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. —Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025

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

Phrases Containing rover

• sea rover

Rhymes for rover

• clover
• drover
• over
• prover
• stover
• trover
• carryover
• changeover
• crossover
• cutover
• flashover
• hangover

Kids Definition

rover

1 of 2 noun

ro·​ver ˈrō-vər 

: pirate entry 1

rover

2 of 2 noun

rov·​er ˈrō-vər 

: a person who roves around : roamer