roost

noun \ ˈrüst \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Examples: roost in a Sentence

Definition of roost

1 a : a support on which birds rest

b : a place where winged animals and especially birds customarily roost

2 : a group of birds roosting together

See roost defined for English-language learners

See roost defined for kids

Recent Examples of roost from the Web

As bats have yet to invent teeny tiny breast pumps, the mother's best option is to share her milk supply with the offspring of her roost mates.

— steve mirsky, Scientific American, "A New Book Looks at What Life Is Like for Moms across the Animal Kingdom," 1 May 2018
As a final insult, a couple of winged missiles went AWOL, taking up roost under a general’s car before exploding.

— lucy cooke, Washington Post, "The batty, explosive history of bats in the military — and why this new idea just might work," 2 July 2018
Back at Lake Lucerne, Billy ruled the roost, earning two nicknames.

— joy wallace dickinson, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Lake Eola swans had mighty fierce forefather," 24 June 2018
Sides: The sports bar sides ruled the roost with crispy tater tots ($3.99 for a half order).

— chuck blount, San Antonio Express-News, "52 Weeks of BBQ: Big Lou’s Burgers & BBQ," 22 June 2018
During the spring, monarchs migrate thousands of miles through the United States to Canada, making stops on the way from their winter roost in Mexico.

— melina zuñiga, azcentral, "Got milkweed? Desert Botanical Garden's program could help save Monarch butterflies," 9 June 2018
Art critics—certain art critics, the happy few, the band of brothers—ruled the roost.

— roger kimball, WSJ, "Tom Wolfe Had the Right Stuff," 15 May 2018
The gobbler thunders a response, flies down from the roost and gobbles again.

— shannon tompkins, Houston Chronicle, "Sound advice: More gobbles on horizon during turkey season," 11 Apr. 2018
Opened: 2009 Slam-Dunk: Danny Meyer rules the roost with Shake Shack , Blue Smoke and El Verano Taqueria.

— ari bendersky, WSJ, "The 5 Most Upscale Stadiums for Foodies," 29 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'roost.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of roost

Middle English, from Old English hrōst; akin to Old Saxon hrōst attic

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

Other Birds Terms

aerie, bunting, clutch, covey, hackle, ratite, rictus, ruff, skein, zygodactyl

roost

verb

Definition of roost

roosted; roosting; roosts

intransitive verb

1 : to settle down for rest or sleep : perch

2 : to settle oneself as if on a roost

transitive verb

: to supply a roost for or put to roost

See roost defined for English-language learners

Examples of roost in a Sentence

Pigeons roost on the building's ledge.
pigeons flying home to roost on the roof

Recent Examples of roost from the Web

The Chicken came home to roost on Monday night’s episode of The Bachelorette.

— michele corriston, PEOPLE.com, "The Bachelorette's David Reveals His Wounded Face After Falling Off a Bunk Bed," 18 June 2018
Until quite recently there was enough coming in to pay expenses but now the chickens are coming home to roost.

— WSJ, "Not Much Has Changed With Social Security," 14 June 2018
The birds went to roost overnight and zoo officials intended to work with police to recapture them Thursday morning, but the animals went missing again.

— patricia madej, Philly.com, "Peacock that escaped Philadelphia Zoo for I-76 found dead; search for 3 others continues," 31 May 2018
Across the gallery hangs a spectacular pair of gilded bronze wall lights resounding with similar curves, all tangling fronds with parrots roosting at their heart.

— cate mcquaid, BostonGlobe.com, "MFA’s ‘Casanova’ a voluptuous look at a notorious voluptuary," 6 July 2018
Residents have fallen onto one side or another of a familiar dividing line, turning the city into parable of our time: an example of what happens when the din and discord of national politics comes home to roost.

— jessica mendoza, The Christian Science Monitor, "In Red Hen aftermath, a community wades through nation's vitriol," 29 June 2018
The hutch had multiple roosting points and three nesting boxes for its feathered flock that includes Beanie, a Cuckoo Maran, Fella, a Jersey Giant, and Betty White, a Babcock White Leghorn.

— vincent t. davis, San Antonio Express-News, "Food Policy Council of San Antonio sponsors chicken coop tour," 14 Apr. 2018
Its last half-hour or so pushes back on a lot of the above, eventually returning to some of the first film’s larger questions about how the US has sown horrors around the world that are coming home to roost.

— todd vanderwerff, Vox, "Donald Trump paints the border as a lawless hellhole. But so does American pop culture.," 22 June 2018
Guests dined on a meal made with eggs, vegetables, fruits and herbs harvested from the nearby Centennial Farm and were serenaded by the chirps of birds roosting in the barn’s rafters and the persistent bleating of a nearby goat.

— luke money, latimes.com, "The chance to ‘Free Your Inner Farmer’ is just around the corner at the O.C. Fair," 21 June 2018