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 of rover

Noun (2)

• nomad
• traveler
• wanderer
• drifter
• roamer
• 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

In the past two decades, NASA’s engineers have designed rovers that can steer up steep slopes with less traction and drive over boulders. —Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 11 May 2026

Unlike previous moon rover-type robots, this new one comes with a pair of robotic arms for handling and manipulating tools. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 May 2026

The SkyFall mission won’t have a rover nearby. —ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026

The existence of near-unkillable fungi makes future Mars rover missions more fraught and past ones potential seeds of terrestrial life on the red planet. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 7 May 2026

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