roost

1 of 2

noun

ˈrüst 

1

a

: a support on which birds rest

b

: a place where winged animals and especially birds customarily roost

2

: a group of birds roosting together

see also:

rule the roost

roost

2 of 2

verb

roosted; roosting; roosts

intransitive verb

1

: to settle down for rest or sleep : perch

2

: to settle oneself as if on a roost

transitive verb

: to supply a roost for or put to roost

Synonyms of roost

Verb

• perch
• land

Examples of roost in a Sentence

Verb

Pigeons roost on the building's ledge.

pigeons flying home to roost on the roof

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Orlando Ravens Flock roosts here often on game days and there are a lot of them! — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026

Furnished in austere style, the papal suite on the 10th floor of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital is the roost of sick popes. — Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2026

Verb

And that is why they are protected under the Federal Migratory Species Act, which is why the landlord who disrupted the roosting ground of these barn owls may have the book thrown at them. — Dave Carlin, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

If damage is occurring overnight, it’s not caused by turkeys, which like to roost in trees to stay out of danger from nighttime predators. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hrōst; akin to Old Saxon hrōst attic

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing roost

• come home to roost
• rule the roost
• the/his chickens are (finally) coming home to roost

Rhymes for roost

• boost
• loosed
• sluiced
• adduced
• conduced
• deduced
• induced
• produced
• reduced
• seduced
• traduced
• transduced

Kids Definition

roost

1 of 2 noun

ˈrüst 

1

: a support on which birds rest

2

: a place where birds often roost

roost

2 of 2 verb

: to settle down for rest or sleep : perch