roost

1 of 2

noun

ˈrüst 

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 also:

rule the roost

roost

2 of 2

verb

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

Synonyms of roost

Verb

• perch
• land

Examples of roost in a Sentence

Verb

Pigeons roost on the building's ledge.

pigeons flying home to roost on the roof

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After ruling the luxury SUV roost for over half a century, the Range Rover is finally available in a fully electric version. — New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2026

In one of the findings, bat houses — artificial roosts in urban environments, similar to nest boxes for birds — were doing their job helping to suppress pests on pecan farms in Texas. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Verb

NurPhoto/Getty Images Drinking tea in the courtyard of The Dwarika’s hotel, surrounded by centuries-old Newari wood carvings, the twittering of sparrows, and the chattering of mynahs coming home to roost, feels surreally calm. — Nicola Chilton, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026

Their range spans northern Mexico to southern Canada, but northern Arizona is a hotspot — the bats have taken to roosting on the walls of the Grand Canyon. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing roost

• come home to roost
• rule the roost
• the/his chickens are (finally) coming home to roost

Rhymes for roost

• boost
• loosed
• sluiced
• adduced
• conduced
• deduced
• induced
• produced
• reduced
• seduced
• traduced
• transduced

Kids Definition

roost

1 of 2 noun

ˈrüst 

1

: a support on which birds rest

2

: a place where birds often roost

roost

2 of 2 verb

: to settle down for rest or sleep : perch