✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

roach

1 of 4

noun (1)

plural roach also roaches
1
: a silver-green European freshwater cyprinid fish (Rutilus rutilus)
also : any of various related fishes (such as some shiners)
2
: any of several American freshwater sunfishes (family Centrarchidae)

roach

2 of 4

noun (2)

1
: a curved cut in the edge of a sail to prevent chafing or to secure a better fit
2
: a roll of hair brushed straight back from the forehead or side of the head

roach

3 of 4

verb

roached; roaching; roaches

transitive verb

1
: to cut so that the remainder stands upright
roach a horse's mane
2
: to cause to arch
specifically : to brush (the hair) in a roach
often used with up

roach

4 of 4

noun (3)

1
2
: the butt of a marijuana cigarette

Examples of roach in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
One live roach and 10 roach corpses were spread around the restaurant. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 24 Nov. 2025 Most insecticides are not effective against German roaches. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025 Khadejah Convert and her family have lived with the roaches and mice, the dust, the cracks in the foundation of their Kansas City apartment building, and the unfixed maintenance problems, like a toilet that shifts and a leaky tub. Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 23 Nov. 2025 One dead roach was found at the eatery. Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for roach

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English roche, from Anglo-French roche, rosse

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

by shortening

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1794, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1822, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of roach was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Roach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roach. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

roach

1 of 2 noun
plural roach also roaches
: any of various fishes including some sunfishes and shiners

roach

2 of 2 noun

Medical Definition

roach

noun

More from Merriam-Webster on roach

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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