rover

1 of 2

noun (1)

ro·​ver ˈrō-vər How to pronounce rover (audio)
: pirate

rover

2 of 2

noun (2)

rov·​er ˈrō-vər How to pronounce rover (audio)
1
: a random or long-distance mark in archery
usually used in plural
2
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)

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The eight-wheeled prototype was used to evaluate different rover concepts, leading up to and through the April 2024 selection of three companies — Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab — to supply lunar terrain vehicles (LTV). Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 19 May 2025 On March 18, 2024, NASA’s Perseverance rover, which usually examines rocks on Mars’ surface, tilted its camera upward. Lillian Ali, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025 On board is a micro rover built by ispace called Tenacious as well as several commercial payloads. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2025 And behind every mission, rover, probe and telescope lies data—massive volumes of it. Michael Wu, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for rover

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of rover was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rover. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

rover

1 of 2 noun
ro·​ver ˈrō-vər How to pronounce rover (audio)

rover

2 of 2 noun
rov·​er ˈrō-vər How to pronounce rover (audio)
: a person who roves around : roamer

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