rose

1 of 4

past tense of rise

rose

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
a
: any of a genus (Rosa of the family Rosaceae, the rose family) of usually prickly shrubs with pinnate leaves and showy flowers having five petals in the wild state but being often double or partly double under cultivation
b
: the flower of a rose
2
: something resembling a rose in form: such as
a(1)
(2)
: a circular card with radiating lines used in other instruments
b
: a rosette especially on a shoe
c
3
roses plural : an easy or pleasant situation or task
it was not all sunshine and rosesAnthony Lewis
4
: a moderate purplish red
5
: a plane curve which consists of three or more loops meeting at the origin and whose equation in polar coordinates is of the form ρ = a sin nθ or ρ = a cos nθ where n is an integer greater than zero
roselike adjective

rose

3 of 4

adjective

1
a
: containing or used for roses
b
: of or relating to a rose
c
: flavored, scented, or colored with or like roses
2
: of the color rose

rosé

4 of 4

noun (2)

ro·​sé rō-ˈzā How to pronounce rosé (audio)
: a light pink table wine made from red grapes by removing the skins after fermentation has begun
Phrases
under the rose

Examples of rose in a Sentence

Noun (1) He sent a dozen red roses to his girlfriend on Valentine's Day.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The illustrious singer was impressed by his body of photo work and perhaps just as much by his thoughtful touch ahead of their meeting: a bouquet of yellow roses. Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024 This welcome mat is bordered by vibrant, blooming roses, daisies, tulips, and sunflowers with the occasional appearance by a ladybug or butterfly. Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2024 Velvet roses in different shades of pink line the walls and cover arches that ensconce light pink booths. The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 Since the 1983-84 season, the Jayhawks have recognized the senior players and their parents amid a shower of roses tossed on James Naismith Court before the contest, then settled in for speeches from the honorees after the game. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024 The same notes of rose and jasmine remain—Catherine worked in a flower shop as her second act after World War II—with modern fruity additions. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024 Navalny’s team shared an image from inside the church during the service, showing the Kremlin critic’s body showered with roses while his mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya – who spent more than a week in Siberia attempting to retrieve her son’s body – held a candle and watched on. Matthew Chance, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 This is somewhere between a white and a rose, a skin-contact wine from a renown biodynamic producer. Lana Bortolot, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 On Wednesday, Williams also stunned in an elegant black dress with a white rose motif at the Balmain RTW Fall 2024 collection as part of Paris Ready to Wear Fashion Week. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The steel time-only version will be limited to 280 pieces, while the rose gold model will be limited to 70. Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024 The three-dimensional-appearing watch spotlights a lacquered blue dial with the continents of the earth crafted in rose gold. Degen Pener, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 Eva Longoria’s rose gold dress featured silver embellishments, and Daphne Guinness opted for silver and gold stripes. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024 The Rhode founder wore the minimalist look with her hair parted down the middle and a glossy rose lip color. Stacy Lambe, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Infused with rose wax and almond oil to give your skin a soft and supple feel, the microfine powder nanoparticles add a blurring effect to leave your base looking smoother. Clare Holden, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2024 Highlighting a dial hand-engraved on a rose engine lathe, Breguet’s 39mm white gold Classique 7237 features a self-winding movement with perpetual calendar; $80,200, at Breguet, Beverly Hills This story first appeared in the Feb. 21 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2024 Unlike typical quartz watches, this model showcases the movement through an exhibition caseback, highlighting its rose gold plating and high-horology finishing, like the engraved battery bridge decorated with Cotes de Genève and beveled and polished screw heads. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 23 Feb. 2024 The rose quartz material is visually appealing, which enhances the ritual aspect of using it. Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, in part going back to Old English rōse, borrowed from Latin rosa "rose, rosebush"; in part borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin rosa, perhaps borrowed from an unattested derivative of Greek rhódon "rose" — more at rhodo-

Note: Latin rosa is similar enough to Greek rhódon that a relationship seems likely, but its nature is unclear. An outcome of rhodéā "rosebush" with a sibilant transmitted to Latin through Etruscan might explain the failure of -s- to rhotacize (unless rhotacism was nullified by the dissimilatory effect of the initial r). Both the Greek and Latin words have been attributed to a Mediterranean substratum, but this does not jibe with the presumed Iranian origin of rhódon.

Adjective

from attributive use of rose entry 2

Noun (2)

borrowed from French (short for vin rosé), from rosé "tinted with rose color, reddish, pink," from rose rose entry 2 + -ate entry 3

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Adjective

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

Noun (2)

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rose was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near rose

Cite this Entry

“Rose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rose. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rose

1 of 3

past of rise

rose

2 of 3 noun
1
a
: any of a genus of usually prickly sometimes climbing shrubs that have compound leaves and showy often fragrant white, yellow, red, pink, or orange flowers
b
: the flower of a rose
2
: a medium purplish red
roselike adjective

rose

3 of 3 adjective
1
: of, relating to, resembling, or used for the rose or roses
2
: of the color rose

Medical Definition

rose

noun
1
a
: any of a genus (Rosa of the family Rosaceae, the rose family) of usually prickly shrubs with pinnate leaves and showy flowers of which some are sources of rose oil
b
: the flower of a rose
2

Biographical Definition

Rose

biographical name

Irwin A. 1926–2015 American biologist

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