Jump to:

• roach
  roach

  noun

  a cockroach.
• Roach
  Roach

  noun

  Maxwell Max, 1924–2007, U.S. jazz drummer and bandleader.

roach

¹ American  

[rohch] / roʊtʃ /

noun

1. a cockroach.

2. Slang. the butt of a marijuana cigarette.

---

roach ² American  

[rohch] / roʊtʃ /

noun

plural

roaches,

plural

roach

1. a European freshwater fish, Rutilus rutilus, of the carp family.

2. any of various similar fishes, as the golden shiner.

3. a freshwater sunfish of the genus Lepomis, found in eastern North America.

---

roach ³ American  

[rohch] / roʊtʃ /

noun

1. Nautical.

   1. the upward curve at the foot of a square sail.

   2. (loosely) a convexity given to any of the edges of a sail; round.

2. hair combed up from the forehead or temples in a roll or high curve.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to clip or cut off (the mane of a horse); hog.

2. to comb (hair) into a roach.

Roach ⁴ American  

[rohch] / roʊtʃ /

noun

1. Maxwell Max, 1924–2007, U.S. jazz drummer and bandleader.

---

roach ¹ British  

/ rəʊtʃ /

noun

1. a European freshwater cyprinid food fish, Rutilus rutilus , having a deep compressed body and reddish ventral and tail fins

2. any of various similar fishes

---

roach ² British  

/ rəʊtʃ /

noun

1. short for cockroach

2. slang the butt of a cannabis cigarette

---

roach ³ British  

/ rəʊtʃ /

noun

1. the amount by which the leech of a fore-and-aft sail projects beyond an imaginary straight line between the clew and the head

2. the curve at the foot of a square sail

---

Roach ⁴ British  

/ rəʊtʃ /

noun

1. Hal , full name Harald Eugene Roach . 1892–1992, US film producer, whose company produced numerous comedy films in the 1920s and 1930s, including those featuring Harold Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy

---

Etymology

Origin of roach¹

An Americanism dating to 1830–40 roach ¹ for def. 1 and 1940–45 roach ¹ for def. 2; shortening of cockroach

Origin of roach²

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English roch(e), from Old French roch(e); further origin uncertain

Origin of roach³

First recorded in 1785–95; origin uncertain; posssibly a development of roach ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

As LPL Financial Chief Economist Jeffrey Roach notes, the inflation report showed that real disposable personal income has been down in four of the past six months, straining consumers.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

“Ultimately people go to ‘Jeopardy!’ because they want to watch 61 clues, so if you distract too much from that, they are not pleased,” says Roach, now a public radio host in Canada.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

"It is just about okay in the summer," Roach says.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

LPL Financial’s chief economist, Jeff Roach, says further labor deterioration could pull the Fed in a more dovish direction and lead to rate cuts at the April 28-29 Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

The Roach would despair of me if he saw how badly I fumbled my newfound skills.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

Related Words

• bhang
• cannabis
• dope
• hashish
• hemp
• herb
• tea