roe

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈrō 

plural roe or roes

: doe

roe

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: the eggs of a fish especially when still enclosed in the ovarian membrane

2

: the eggs or ovaries of an invertebrate (such as the coral of a lobster)

Examples of roe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the fashion of izakayas, there are also tasty bites to pair with the soup, from ooey-gooey takoyaki (octopus dumplings) to tempura Brussels sprouts to spicy pollock roe on rice. —John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026

We were greeted with hot barley tea and quickly settled into a comforting welcome-back cup of chawanmushi, the silky egg custard served hot with hidden bits of shrimp, enoki mushrooms and salmon roe. —Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026

Entrees like housemade tagliatelle with duck confit and sausage bolognese and an unforgettable farro risotto topped with trout and its roe keep the modern eclectic vibes going. —Su-Jit Lin, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025

And a vodka-and-caviar server designed to cradle a 50-gram tin is both functional and fantastical, a jewel box for roe. —Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English ro, from Old English rā; akin to Old High German rēh roe

Noun (2)

Middle English roof, roughe, row; akin to Old Norse hrogn roe and probably to Lithuanian kurkulai frog's eggs

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1789, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing roe

• roe deer

Rhymes for roe

• beau
• beaux
• blow
• boe
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

roe

noun

ˈrō

: the eggs of a fish especially while still bound together in a membrane