paint roller

American  

noun

1. a roller of absorbent material, mounted on a handle, that is rolled in a trough of paint and then rolled over a flat surface to be painted.

---

Etymology

Origin of paint roller

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paint roller

An attorney for Orellana’s family said he was having a mental health episode and carrying a metal paint roller.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2024

In 1990, he picked up a paint roller and became an anti-tobacco vigilante.

From Slate ● Nov. 30, 2023

Small items can be hidden inside a paint roller that you, forgot to clean.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 24, 2023

Use it as a can or bottle opener, a scraper, a paint roller cleaner, a screwdriver and more.

From Washington Post ● May 24, 2022

I pointed the paint roller at myself, splashing speckles of green on my T-shirt.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda