rover

1 of 2

noun (1)

ro·​ver ˈrō-vər 

: pirate

rover

2 of 2

noun (2)

rov·​er ˈrō-vər 

1

: a random or long-distance mark in archery

—usually used in plural

2

: wanderer, roamer

3

: a player who is not assigned to a specific position on a team and who plays wherever needed

4

: a vehicle for exploring the surface of an extraterrestrial body (such as the moon or Mars)

Synonyms of rover

Noun (2)

• nomad
• traveler
• wanderer
• drifter
• roamer
• wayfarer

Examples of rover in a Sentence

Noun (2)

ever since he developed a strong case of wanderlust in college, he's been a rover

a story of the days when sea rovers plied the Caribbean

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The prototype rover is part of the German Space Agency's VaMEx (Valles Marineris Explorer) program, which is an initiative aimed at developing swarms of driving, walking and flying robots designed to explore Mars' vast Valles Marineris valley. — New Atlas, 22 June 2026

Ultimately, these technological improvements will inform the design of next-generation rovers capable of exploring previously inaccessible, rough extraterrestrial landscapes. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 June 2026

Curry said mission scientists may attempt additional imaging campaigns later this year using cameras aboard Mars rovers, although previous efforts to spot the silent spacecraft from the surface have proven unsuccessful. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 17 June 2026

Fischer says work on its next-gen NASA lunar rover is proving the vast bandwidth of virtualization and simulation tools. — IEEE Spectrum, 17 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Middle Dutch, from roven to rob; akin to Old English rēafian to reave — more at reave

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rover

• sea rover

Rhymes for rover

• clover
• drover
• over
• prover
• stover
• trover
• carryover
• changeover
• crossover
• cutover
• flashover
• hangover

Kids Definition

rover

1 of 2 noun

ro·​ver ˈrō-vər 

: pirate entry 1

rover

2 of 2 noun

rov·​er ˈrō-vər 

: a person who roves around : roamer