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

No rover could easily traverse this surface, but flying vehicles may have more success. — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 16 Aug. 2026

Under a communications blackout, a rover team that waits for its commands from Earth has to stop. — Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026

For a more realistic estimate of speed, consider the Perseverance rover, which launched on July 30, 2020, and landed on Mars on February 18, 2021. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026

The mission demonstrated that relatively low-cost robotic exploration could deliver enormous scientific returns and paved the way for the sophisticated Mars rovers that followed. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 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