Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words
1

reeve

play
noun \ ˈrēv \

Definition of reeve

1 :a local administrative agent of an Anglo-Saxon king
2 :a medieval English manor officer responsible chiefly for overseeing the discharge of feudal obligations
3 a :the council president in some Canadian municipalities
b :a local official charged with enforcement of specific regulations
  • deer reeve

People Are Reading

image536372841
Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes
alt-59c2960017c94
The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'
video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066
alt-59c2cb9e9ef54
Trending: Ivanka: "An 'Otherwise' Incredible Day"

Origin and Etymology of reeve

Middle English reve, from Old English gerēfa, from ge- (associative prefix) + -rēfa (akin to Old English -rōf number, Old High German ruova) — more at co-

2

reeve

verb

Definition of reeve

rove play \ˈrōv\ or reeved; reeving
transitive verb
1 :to pass (something, such as a rope) through a hole or opening
2 :to fasten by passing through a hole or around something
3 :to pass a rope through
intransitive verb
of a rope :to pass through a block or similar device

Origin and Etymology of reeve

origin unknown

3

reeve

noun

Definition of reeve

:the female of the ruff (sandpiper)

Origin and Etymology of reeve

origin unknown

Phrases Related to REEVE

Related Phrases

Learn More about reeve

  1. See words that rhyme with reeve Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reeve

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up reeve? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

shofar

play

a ram's-horn trumpet used in Judaism

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. otherwise "in other respects"

  2. federalism Graham says bill gives power to states

  3. bodega "Don’t mess with the beloved bodega."

  4. carceral Of, relating to, or suggesting a jail or prison

  5. allegory No spoilers!

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

reeve

Test Your Vocabulary

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

  • young-plant-shoots
  • Which of the following is a new sense of the word bunny?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-59c2960017c94
The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'

When you push a meeting, where does it go?

image536372841
Silent Letters

When each letter can be seen but not heard

alt-59c17b8172892
'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

Its origins are surprisingly murky.

alt-59c13729150dc
"Immune to" or "Immune from"?

Nobody is immune to this question.

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

payday
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

young-plant-shoots
Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

You're going to have to memorize the dictionary again.

Take the quiz
stylized-drawing-of-woman-pole-vaulting-across-gap-to-get-trophy
Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

No tricks, just difficult words.

Take the quiz
True or False
True or False?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

Take the quiz
Word Winder's CrossWinder
Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

Play the game