rosette

noun

ro·​sette rō-ˈzet 

1

: an ornament usually made of material gathered or pleated so as to resemble a rose and worn as a badge of office, as evidence of having won a decoration (such as the Medal of Honor), or as trimming

2

: a disk of foliage or a floral design usually in relief used as a decorative motif

3

: a structure or color marking on an animal suggestive of a rosette

especially : one of the groups of spots on a leopard

4

: a cluster of leaves in crowded circles or spirals arising basally from a crown (as in the dandelion) or apically from an axis with greatly shortened internodes (as in many tropical palms)

5

: a food decoration or garnish in the shape of a rose

icing rosettes

carrot rosettes

Illustration of rosette

• rosette 2

Examples of rosette in a Sentence

a rosette of chocolate frosting

Rosettes are carved in the base of the statue.

Recent Examples on the Web

The spiky rosettes of hens and chicks are a great example. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2025

From the racks, Anna pulls a Christopher John Rogers red bustier top and army green handkerchief skirt, paired with pink Dior sunglasses, a rosette choker, and black mesh Norma Kamali gloves (all pictured in the poster). —Victoria Montalti, Refinery29, 7 Aug. 2025

The dung that stuck to the fresco happened to form the shape of a rosette—a marvel in the eyes of the Florentines. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 31 July 2025

Beauty-wise, Hadid tied her hair back in a slick ballet bun, adding a few white rosettes, while completing the ensemble with an ever-so-slightly rosy makeup look. —Rachel Flynn, People.com, 17 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, going back to Old French rosete, rosette "small rose, object shaped like a rose," from rose rose entry 2 + -ete, -ette -ette

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rosette

• abet
• asset
• baguette
• banquette
• barbette
• beget
• beset
• brevet
• briquette
• brunet
• brunette
• burette

Kids Definition

rosette

noun

ro·​sette rō-ˈzet 

1

: a badge or ornament of ribbon gathered in the shape of a rose

2

: a design of leaves or flowers used as a decoration

3

: a circular cluster of leaves developed on a plant (as at the base of a dandelion)

Medical Definition

rosette

noun

ro·​sette rō-ˈzet 

: a rose-shaped cluster of cells