scroll

1 of 2

noun

ˈskrōl 

1

a

: a roll (as of papyrus, leather, or parchment) for writing a document

b

archaic : a written message

c

: roster, list

d

: a riband with rolled ends often inscribed with a motto

2

a

: something resembling a scroll in shape

especially : a spiral or convoluted form in ornamental design derived from the curves of a loosely or partly rolled parchment scroll

b

: the curved head of a bowed stringed musical instrument see violin illustration

scrolled

ˈskrōld 

adjective

Illustration of scroll

• scroll 1a

scroll

2 of 2

verb

scrolled; scrolling; scrolls

intransitive verb

1

: to move text or graphics up or down or across a display screen as if by unrolling a scroll

2

: to progress, move, or be revealed as if by the unrolling of a scroll

… watch scenery scroll by large picture windows.

—David Yeadon

transitive verb

: to cause (text or graphics on a display screen) to move in scrolling

Examples of scroll in a Sentence

Noun

He read from the scroll.

a scarf with lovely green scrolls on it

Verb

You have to scroll the screen to see the bottom of the Web page.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

With that in mind, scroll ahead for the bob haircut trends top stylists predict will reign supreme in 2026 and beyond. —Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 16 Dec. 2025

Below, scroll on and shop 12 eBay picks for more New Year’s Eve for inspiration. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2025

Verb

Keep scrolling to shop green velvet dresses that will arrive before Christmas with an Amazon Prime account. —Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 17 Dec. 2025

What seemed like a normal July night ended up making history when astronomer Larry Denneau at the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy discovered a new moving object while scrolling through data from ATLAS — the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English scrowle, blend of rolle roll and scrowe scrap, scroll (from Anglo-French escrowe, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch schrode piece cut off, Old High German scrōt) — more at shred entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1971, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing scroll

• scroll bar
• scroll saw

Rhymes for scroll

• boal
• bole
• bowl
• coal
• droll
• foal
• goal
• hole
• knoll
• kol
• mole
• noll

Kids Definition

scroll

1 of 2 noun

ˈskrōl 

1

: a roll of paper or animal skin that has been prepared as a writing surface

especially : one on which something is written or engraved

2

: an ornament resembling a loosely or partly rolled scroll

scroll

2 of 2 verb

: to move (as text or graphics) up or down or across a display screen as if by unrolling a scroll