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ross

1 American  
[raws, ros] / rɔs, rɒs /

noun

  1. the rough exterior of bark.


verb (used with object)

  1. to remove the rough exterior of bark from (a log or the like).

Ross 2 American  
[raws, ros] / rɔs, rɒs /

noun

  1. Betsy Griscom 1752–1836, maker of the first U.S. flag.

  2. Harold Wallace, 1892–1951, U.S. publisher and editor.

  3. Sir James Clark, 1800–62, English navigator: explorer of the Arctic and the Antarctic.

  4. his uncle Sir John, 1777–1856, Scottish naval officer and Arctic explorer.

  5. John CoowescooweorKooweskoowe, 1790–1866, Cherokee leader.

  6. Nellie Tayloe 1876–1977, U.S. politician and governor of Wyoming: first woman U.S. governor 1925–27.

  7. Sir Ronald, 1857–1932, English physician: Nobel Prize 1902.

  8. a male given name.


Ross British  
/ rɒs /

noun

  1. Diana . born 1944, US singer: lead vocalist (1961–69) with Motown group the Supremes, whose hits include "Baby Love" (1964). Her subsequent recordings include Lady Sings the Blues (film soundtrack, 1972), and Chain Reaction (1986)

  2. Sir James Clark . 1800–62, British naval officer; explorer of the Arctic and Antarctic. He located the north magnetic pole (1831) and discovered the Ross Sea during an Antarctic voyage (1839–43)

  3. his uncle, Sir John . 1777–1856, Scottish naval officer and Arctic explorer

  4. Sir Ronald . 1857–1932, English bacteriologist, who discovered the transmission of malaria by mosquitoes: Nobel prize for physiology or medicine 1902

"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

Etymology

Origin of ross

First recorded in 1570–80; origin uncertain

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.

It is hoped species such as ross worms, anemones, oysters and mussels will live on the reef cubes and that fish and crustaceans will also come over time.

From BBC • Oct. 16, 2025

Coach Patrick Vieira’s Palace side finally perked up and, moments later, Adam Webster’s toe-poke from a right-wing ross was saved by Sanchez.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 14, 2022

He is a glen garry glen ross character sucking the life blood out of entities around him.

From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2016

The best and worst apologies of the week Topics: Trayvon Martin, rick ross, Matt Lauer, David Patraeus, Piers Morgan, George Zimmerman, Doug Gottlieb, Don Young, It has been one sorry excuse for a week.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2013

It stood just ac ross from the cobhoust, a tumbledown shed full of stuff left there in Grandpa Dowdel’s time.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck