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Roland

American  
[roh-luhnd] / ˈroʊ lənd /

noun

  1. Italian Orlando.  the greatest of the paladins in the Charlemagne cycle of the chansons de geste, renowned for his prowess and the manner of his death in the battle of Roncesvalles (a.d. 778), also for his five days' combat with Oliver in which neither was the victor.

  2. a male given name: from Germanic words meaning “glory” and “land.”


idioms

  1. a Roland for an Oliver, retaliation or a retort equal to its provocation; a blow for a blow.

Roland British  
/ ˈrəʊlənd /

noun

  1. the greatest of the legendary 12 peers (paladins, of whom Oliver was another) in attendance on Charlemagne; he died in battle at Roncesvalles (778 ad )

"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

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.

See Examples For:

But Prof Damian Roland, a practising emergency medicine consultant, notes that the drama does illustrate wider health challenges.

From BBC Sep. 13, 2026

“I think it’s really about inflation, and Friday is going to be the big tell on that front,” said Emily Roland, co-chief investment strategist at Manulife John Hancock Investment Management.

From MarketWatch Sep. 8, 2026

“I think that in this world where tensions are numerous, it’s probably no time to add tensions, especially between two historical partners,” French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 2, 2026

"The ships have to sail with lighter loads than usual to have less draught," said Alexandre Charpentier, transport specialist at the consulting firm Roland Berger, referring to how deep a vessel sits in the water.

From Barron's Aug. 20, 2026

"Aight, Roland, I'm off to work," she said, scrambling around.

From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds

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