noun · verb · 35 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɹəʊlə/
General-American:/ˈɹoʊlɚ/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -əʊlə(ɹ)
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:R OW1 L ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Anything that rolls.
Any rotating cylindrical device that is part of a machine, especially one used to apply or reduce pressure.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Anything that rolls.
A cylindrical (or approximately cylindrical) item used under a heavy object to facilitate moving it; usually several are needed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Anything that rolls.
A person who rolls something, such as cigars or molten metal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Anything that rolls.
A large rolling device used to flatten a grass surface; commonly in relation to a cricket pitch.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
Anything that rolls.
A cylindrical tool for applying paint or ink.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: paint roller, rolling paint brush, rolling brush
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
Anything that rolls.
An agricultural machine used for flattening land and breaking up lumps of earth.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
Anything that rolls.
One of a set of small cylindrical tubes used to curl hair.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
Anything that rolls.
A roller towel.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
Anything that rolls.
A small wheel, as of a caster, a roller skate, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
Anything that rolls.
A rolling element inside a roller bearing: a small cylinder or sphere of metal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
Anything that rolls.
One of a set of rolling cylinders allowing a rider to practise balance while training indoors.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
Anything that rolls.
Any insect whose larva rolls up leaves, especially those in family Tortricidae.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
noun
Meaning 13
Anything that rolls.
A dung beetle that rolls dung into balls.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
noun
Meaning 14
Anything that rolls.
A cylinder snakes, small ground snakes of the genus Cylindrophis.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
noun
Meaning 15
Anything that rolls.
A rolling pin
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
16
noun
Meaning 16
Anything that rolls.
A throw which involves the player throwing the disc in a way that makes it roll, by that being able to travel further than if thrown in the air. Only used on holes with open areas with short or no grass.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: disc golf
Topics: heading
Examples
He threw a beautiful roller that cut the corner perfectly and stopped just outside the circle.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
17
noun
Meaning 17
A long wide bandage used in surgery.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
18
noun
Meaning 18
A large, wide, curling wave that falls back on itself as it breaks on a coast.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
19
noun
Meaning 19
A bird.
A breed or variety of roller pigeon that rolls (i.e. tumbles or somersaults) backwards (compare Penson roller, Birmingham roller, tumbler).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
20
noun
Meaning 20
A bird.
Any of various nonpasserine birds constituting the family Coraciidae, having stocky bodies, large heads, and stout bills hooked at the tip.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: heading
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
21
noun
Meaning 21
A police patrol car or patrolman (rather than an unmarked police car or a detective)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
22
noun
Meaning 22
A padded surcingle that is used on horses for training and vaulting.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
23
noun
Meaning 23
A roll of titles or (especially) credits played over film or video; television or film credits.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: broadcasting, film, media, television
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
24
noun
Meaning 24
A wheelchair user.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
25
noun
Meaning 25
A Rolls-Royce motorcar.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
26
noun
Meaning 26
A type break that consists of drum rolls; a drum and bass track made with such breaks.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
27
noun
Meaning 27
A Rolls-Royce car
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
28
verb
Meaning 28
To roller skate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
29
noun
Meaning 29
a grounder that rolls along the infield
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
a small wheel without spokes (as on a roller skate)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: wheel
Narrower terms: caster, castor
35
noun
Meaning 35
a long heavy sea wave as it advances towards the shore
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: roll, rolling wave
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: wave, moving ridge
History
Etymology
* From Middle English rollere, equivalent to roll + -er. * (credits in TV or film): These were originally printed on a physical cylinder that was rotated in front of the camera.
Across languages
Translations
91 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
ролка
(rolka)
— anything that rolls
Dutch:
roller
— anything that rolls
Finnish:
rulla
— anything that rolls
Finnish:
pyörittäjä
— anything that rolls
Ancient Greek:
κύλινδρος
(kúlindros)
— anything that rolls
Japanese:
ローラー
(rōrā)
— anything that rolls
Korean:
롤러
(rolleo)
— anything that rolls
Macedonian:
ро́лна
(rólna)
— anything that rolls
Norman:
rouôleux
— anything that rolls
Polish:
wałek
— anything that rolls
Russian:
ро́лик
(rólik)
— anything that rolls
Russian:
колёсико
(koljósiko)
— anything that rolls
Russian:
вал
(val)
— anything that rolls
Spanish:
rodillo
— anything that rolls
Tagalog:
paralis
— anything that rolls
Tagalog:
rodilyo
— anything that rolls
Ottoman Turkish:
مردانه
(merdane)
— anything that rolls
Ottoman Turkish:
لوغ
(loğ)
— anything that rolls
Bulgarian:
вал
(val)
— rotating cylindrical part of a machine
Finnish:
tela
— rotating cylindrical part of a machine
Ancient Greek:
κύλινδρος
(kúlindros)
— rotating cylindrical part of a machine
Macedonian:
ва́лјак
(váljak)
— rotating cylindrical part of a machine
Norwegian Bokmål:
vals
— rotating cylindrical part of a machine
Norwegian Bokmål:
valse
— rotating cylindrical part of a machine
Norwegian Nynorsk:
vals
— rotating cylindrical part of a machine
Norwegian Nynorsk:
valse
— rotating cylindrical part of a machine
Russian:
вал
(val)
— rotating cylindrical part of a machine
Ottoman Turkish:
مردانه
(merdane)
— rotating cylindrical part of a machine