roller

¹

[roh-ler]

noun

1. a person or thing that rolls.

2. a cylinder, wheel, caster, or the like, upon which something is rolled along.

3. a cylindrical body, revolving on a fixed axis, especially one to facilitate the movement of something passed over or around it.

4. a cylindrical object upon which something is rolled up.

   the roller of a window shade.

5. a hollow, cylindrical object of plastic, stiff net, or the like, upon which hair is rolled up for setting.

6. a cylindrical body for rolling over something to be spread out, leveled, crushed, smoothed, compacted, impressed, inked, etc.

7. any of various other revolving cylindrical bodies, as the barrel of a music box.

8. Metalworking.,  a person in charge of a rolling mill.

9. a long, swelling wave advancing steadily.

   Synonyms: comber, breaker

10. a rolled bandage.

roller

²

[roh-ler]

noun

Ornithology.

1. any of several Old World birds of the family Coraciidae that tumble or roll over in flight, especially in the breeding season.

2. tumbler.

3. one of a variety of canaries having a warbling or trilling song.

roller

/ ˈrəʊlə /

noun

1. a cylinder having an absorbent surface and a handle, used for spreading paint

2. Also called: garden roller. a heavy cast-iron cylinder or pair of cylinders on an axle to which a handle is attached; used for flattening lawns

3. a long heavy wave of the sea, advancing towards the shore Compare breaker 1

4. a hardened cylinder of precision-ground steel that forms one of the rolling components of a roller bearing or of a linked driving chain

5. a cylinder fitted on pivots, used to enable heavy objects to be easily moved; castor

6. printing a cylinder, usually of hard rubber, used to ink a forme or plate before impression

7. a cylindrical tube or barrel onto which material is rolled for transport or storage

8. any of various other cylindrical devices that rotate about a cylinder, used for any of various purposes

9. a small cylinder, esp one that is heated, onto which a woman's hair may be rolled to make it curl

10. med a bandage consisting of a long strip of muslin or cheesecloth rolled tightly into a cylindrical form before application

11. a band fastened around a horse's belly to keep a blanket in position

12. any of various Old World birds of the family Coraciidae , such as Coracias garrulus ( European roller ), that have a blue, green, and brown plumage, a slightly hooked bill, and an erratic flight: order Coraciiformes (kingfishers, etc)

13. (often capital) a variety of tumbler pigeon that performs characteristic backward somersaults in flight

14. a breed of canary that has a soft trilling song in which the notes are run together

15. a person or thing that rolls

16. a man who rolls and trims fleeces after shearing

17. short for roadroller steamroller

18. short for roller caption

Word History and Origins

Origin of roller¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; roll ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

Origin of roller²

First recorded in 1675–85; from German Roller, derivative of rollen to roll

Example Sentences

This has been a roller coaster season for the Chargers, a microcosm of which happened at the end of the first half.

From Los Angeles Times

But for as long as you’re out there hustling, have fun on the roller coaster and appreciate every moment you get paid to do what you love.

From Los Angeles Times

Stewart Silver, an entrepreneur who started Avon Rent-A-Car and owned an Anaheim professional roller hockey team, purchased the 1.2-acre parcel near the southern tip of Los Angeles for $1.6 million in 2023.

From Los Angeles Times

I was having ups and downs, but a big roller coaster of emotions, trying to adjust to what I'd done and where I'm going next.

From BBC

"University is definitely a roller coaster. There was a point I wanted to drop out, but now I can definitely see the fruits of my labour."

From BBC

Related Words

• crest 
• flood 
• influx 
• movement 
• outbreak 
• rash 
• rush 
• sign 
• stream 
• surge 
• swell 
• tide 
• upsurge