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

On board is a micro rover built by ispace called Tenacious as well as several commercial payloads. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2025

Related article Perseverance rover will uncover mysterious Martian history after a monthslong challenging trek And Jonathan Eastwood, a professor of space physics at Imperial College London, agreed that sophisticated solutions will be needed to overcome the hazards posed by Martian dust. —Jack Guy, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025

Even in the inner solar system, spacecraft such as lunar or Mars rovers need alternative power sources. —Benjamin Roulston, The Conversation, 14 Mar. 2025

In 2026, a JAXA spacecraft is heading to the Martian moon Phobos to chuck a little rover at it. —IEEE Spectrum, 14 Mar. 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