Illustration of roof
- 1 gambrel
- 2 mansard
- 3 hip
- 4 lean-to
1
a(1)
: the cover of a building
(2)
: material used for a roof : roofing
b
: the roof of a dwelling conventionally designating the home itself
didn't have a roof over my head
they share the same roof
3
a
: the vaulted upper boundary of the mouth
b
: a covering structure of any of various parts of the body
roof of the skull
4
: something suggesting a roof: such as
a
: a canopy of leaves and branches
b
: the top over the passenger section of a vehicle
roofed; roofing; roofs
1
a
: to cover with or as if with a roof
b
: to provide with a particular kind of roof or roofing
—often used in combination
slate-roofed houses
2
: to constitute a roof over
roofer
noun
Examples of roof in a Sentence
Noun
the roof of a car
The roof of the old barn collapsed.
He bit into a hot slice of pizza and burned the roof of his mouth.
Verb
fed and roofed the emergency volunteers for a week
Recent Examples on the Web
Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2025
In the eastbound direction, between the queue of cars and congregation of responders, lay a motionless helicopter, not in the sky, but on the ground; not right-side-up but on its roof.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2025
New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2025
The convenient kit comes with floor and roofing materials, plus nails, screws, handles, door locks, and fixings, which means less time wasted running to the hardware store.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for roof
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
Based on a true story, Roofman follows the adventures of an Army veteran and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname Roofman.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2025
In the eastbound direction, between the queue of cars and congregation of responders, lay a motionless helicopter, not in the sky, but on the ground; not right-side-up but on its roof.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
Safety features as standard include a reversing camera and alarm, pedestrian noise emitter, non-slip flooring, grab handles, roof crush protection, three-point safety belts in bright orange, and automotive-grade front and rear windshields.
—New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2025
The convenient kit comes with floor and roofing materials, plus nails, screws, handles, door locks, and fixings, which means less time wasted running to the hardware store.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for roof
Cite this Entry
“Roof.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roof. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
1
a
: the upper covering part of a building
b
: a place to live : home
a roof over one's head
2
: the upper boundary of the mouth
3
: something resembling a roof in form, position, or purpose
roof
2 of 2 verb1
: to cover with or as if with a roof
2
: to provide with roofing
roofer
noun
Medical Definition
plural roofs
ˈrüfs, ˈru̇fs also ˈrüvz, ˈru̇vz
1
: the vaulted upper boundary of the mouth supported largely by the palatine bones and limited anteriorly by the dental lamina and posteriorly by the uvula and upper part of the fauces
2
: a covering structure of any of various parts of the body other than the mouth
roof of the skull
roof of the dental pulp chamber
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share