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  • roe
    roe
    noun
    the mass of eggs, or spawn, within the ovarian membrane of the female fish.
  • ROE
    ROE
    return on equity.
  • Roe
    Roe
    noun
    law (formerly) the defendant in a fictitious action, Doe versus Roe, to test a point of law See also Doe
Synonyms

roe

1 American  
[roh] / roʊ /

noun

  1. the mass of eggs, or spawn, within the ovarian membrane of the female fish.

  2. the milt or sperm of the male fish.

  3. the eggs of any of various crustaceans, as the coral of the lobster.

roe 2 American  
[roh] / roʊ /

noun

plural

roes,

plural

roe

  1. roe deer.

ROE 3 American  
Accounting.

  1. return on equity.

roe 1 British  
/ rəʊ /

noun

  1. short for roe deer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
roe 2 British  
/ rəʊ /

noun

  1. Also called: hard roe.  the ovary of a female fish filled with mature eggs

  2. Also called: soft roe.  the testis of a male fish filled with mature sperm

  3. the ripe ovary of certain crustaceans, such as the lobster

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Roe 3 British  
/ rəʊ /

noun

  1. law (formerly) the defendant in a fictitious action, Doe versus Roe, to test a point of law See also Doe

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
roe Scientific  
/ rō /

  1. The eggs of a fish, often together with the membrane of the ovary in which they are held.

Etymology

Origin of roe1

1400–50; late Middle English rowe; cognate with Old High German rogo

Origin of roe2

before 900; Middle English roo, Old English rā, rāha; cognate with German Reh

Vocabulary lists containing roe

3-letter words, List 1

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Vicky Roe, another constituent who voted for Jenrick, was another who said she was "not surprised" by the reports of his plans to defect.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026

Roe said the copper will be routed to companies that produce components for Amazon’s data centers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Imperia Caviar Trout Roe & Salmon Roe – My favorite caviar variety isn’t technically caviar, it’s salmon roe, which you might know as ikura.

From Salon • Dec. 4, 2025

In the decades since, lower-dose contraceptives and improved IUDs have significantly reduced the risks feminists highlighted in the decade after Roe.

From Slate • Nov. 11, 2025

From Townsend, Roe would get an intelligence report.

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.