rooster
Americannoun
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roosters
plural
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the male of domestic fowl and certain game birds; cock.
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a representation of this bird, used as an emblem of the Democratic Party from 1842 to 1874.
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Informal. a cocky person.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of rooster
Explanation
A rooster is a male chicken. If your cute baby chick grows up to crow loudly first thing every morning, he's probably a rooster. The word rooster is an American invention, inspired by the rooster's habit of roosting, or standing up on a perch while sleeping or while on the lookout for danger. In the UK, a rooster is more likely to be called a cock or cockerel. In a flock of birds, the rooster's job is to defend the chickens and their nests from predators and other roosters.
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:
In 2018, photographer David Walter Banks captured Santa Monica, Calif.-based Tommy Kendall, a retired champion automobile race-car driver, with his 1973 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight, outfitted to look like a giant rooster.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 28, 2025
The colorful space, dominated by a giant rooster mural and pulsing with salsa, draws inspiration from across Latin America and the Caribbean.
From Salon ● Sep. 29, 2025
But the woman also had a rooster on her thumb, showing "an intriguing style with a certain uniqueness," says Dr Caspari.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2025
While he speaks to me from his home in Sierra Leone, a rooster crows in the background, punctuating his sentences like a barnyard hype man.
From Slate ● Mar. 26, 2025
Puffed up proud like a rooster, I circled the room with my head held high.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Nearby were soft-toy footballers resembling Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, fluffy roosters in France polos and teddy bears in Spain kits.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
The gate is adorned with a sculpted round medallion of Oseguera’s trademark, two roosters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
He gained a reputation for his love of cockfights, also calling himself “El Señor de Los Gallos” — the lord of the roosters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 23, 2026
Schilperoort said the Sheriff’s Office was not aware of a sanctuary willing to take roosters and is open to reaching out as long as it has adequate time and staffing.
From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2024
The roosters had been crowing for some time, and the early pigs were already beginning their ceaseless turning of twigs and bits of wood to see whether anything to eat had been overlooked.
From "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck
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