rod

noun

ˈräd 

1

a(1)

: a straight slender stick growing on or cut from a tree or bush

(2)

: osier

(3)

old-fashioned : a stick or bundle of twigs used to punish

also : punishment

spare the rod

(4)

: a shepherd's cudgel

(5)

: a pole with a line and usually a reel attached for fishing

b(1)

: a slender bar (as of wood or metal)

(2)

: a bar or staff for measuring

(3)

: scepter

also : a wand or staff carried as a badge of office (as of marshal)

2

a

: a unit of length see Weights and Measures Table

b

: a square rod

3

: any of the long rod-shaped photosensitive receptors in the retina responsive to faint light compare cone sense 3a

4

: a rod-shaped bacterium

5

slang : handgun

rodless

ˈräd-ləs 

adjective

rodlike

ˈräd-ˌlīk 

adjective

Synonyms of rod

• cane
• baton

Examples of rod in a Sentence

arrested for using a rod on his dogs in violation of the state's animal cruelty laws

Recent Examples on the Web

The O'Donoghue family told WJZ Anchor Rick Ritter that Liam is in great spirits, despite five surgeries in 11 days and metal rods in his thighs. —Rick Ritter, CBS News, 19 May 2026

The pegboard in this case doubles to hold in place various hanging and storage accessories for carrying fishing rods, tools, camping gear and more. —C.c. Weiss may 19, New Atlas, 19 May 2026

Hang Them As Curtains Use cafe clips to hang cloth napkins from curtain rods for an easy, one-of-a-kind valance or cafe-style curtains. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 May 2026

Even the wiring had to be improvised at scale, with metal rods used in place of traditional jumper wires, since no off-the-shelf equivalents exist for a project of this size. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English rodd; akin to Old Norse rudda club

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing rod

• connecting rod
• control rod
• Cuisenaire rod
• divining rod
• dowsing rod
• fly rod
• hot rod
• leveling rod
• lightning rod
• piston rod
• rod of Aesculapius
• rod of Asclepius
• rule with a rod of iron
• spinning rod
• tie-rod
• traverse rod
• withe rod

Rhymes for rod

• awed
• baaed
• baud
• bawd
• brod
• clawed
• cod
• flawed
• fraud
• gnawed
• god
• jawed

Kids Definition

rod

noun

ˈräd 

1

a

: a straight slender stick or bar

b

: a stick or bundle of twigs used in whipping a person

c

: a pole with a line and usually a reel attached for fishing

2

a

: a unit of length see measure

b

: a square rod

3

: any of the cells in the retina that are shaped like rods and respond to dim light

4

slang : handgun

rodless

-ləs 

adjective

rodlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

Medical Definition

rod

noun

ˈräd 

1

: a straight slender pole or bar

2

: any of the long rod-shaped photosensitive receptors in the retina responsive to faint light compare cone sense 2a

3

: a bacterium shaped like a rod