scroll

American  

[skrohl] / skroʊl /

noun

1. a roll of parchment, paper, copper, or other material, especially one with writing on it.

   a scroll containing the entire Old Testament.

2. something, especially an ornament, resembling a partly unrolled sheet of paper or having a spiral or coiled form.

3. a list, roll, roster, or schedule.

4. (in Japanese and Chinese art) a painting or text on silk or paper that is either displayed on a wall hanging scroll or held by the viewer hand scroll and is rolled up when not in use.

5. the curved head of a violin or other bowed instrument.

6. a note, message, or other piece of writing.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cut into a curved form with a narrow-bladed saw.

2. Computers. to move (text) up, down, or across a display screen, with new text appearing on the screen as old text disappears.

verb (used without object)

1. Computers. to move text vertically or horizontally on a display screen in searching for a particular section, line, etc.

scroll British  

/ skrəʊl /

noun

1. a roll of parchment, paper, etc, usually inscribed with writing

2. an ancient book in the form of a roll of parchment, papyrus, etc

3. 1. a decorative carving or moulding resembling a scroll

   2. ( as modifier )

      a scroll saw

   3. ( in combination )

      scrollwork

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verb

1. (tr) to saw into scrolls

2. to roll up like a scroll

3. computing to move (text) from right to left or up and down on a screen in order to view text that cannot be contained within a single display image

Other Word Forms

• scroll-like adjective

Etymology

Origin of scroll

1350–1400; Middle English scrowle; blend of scrow, aphetic variant of escrow and rowle roll

Explanation

A rolled up piece of paper is a scroll. If you write a poem on a sheet of paper, roll it up, and tie it with a ribbon, you can call it a scroll. Before books existed, people wrote stories or important information on parchment or papyrus and rolled them into scrolls for easy storage and transport. Sometimes, a scroll would serve as a work of art, a decorated tale that would occasionally be unrolled and displayed. These days, when you scroll through something, you're probably reading it on a computer, moving down the screen.

Example Sentences

Today, I scroll through my phone contacts of friends and see a growing number of solo agers — many by choice.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026

I can still have my phone beside me for the useful things it provides—texting a friend, or checking the weather—but I’m no longer tethered to its addictive endless scroll.

From Slate • Apr. 26, 2026

Features like endless scroll and recommendation algorithms are reliant on the content being served, he argues, so the features in and of themselves cannot cause harm.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

“In this culture of trying to break the algorithm and stop the scroll, you’re really thinking about how to storytell in very short stints,” Gomez said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

In his arms, he carries a very old Torah scroll, the simple fabric of its cover threadbare and torn.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

• manuscript