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• rose
  rose

  noun

  any of the wild or cultivated, usually prickly-stemmed, pinnate-leaved, showy-flowered shrubs of the genus Rosa.
• rosé
  rosé

  noun

  a pale pink wine resembling white wine in taste, made from red grapes by removing the skins from the must before fermentation is completed.
• Rose
  Rose

  noun

  Billy, 1899–1966, U.S. theatrical producer.

rose

¹ American  

[rohz] / roʊz /

noun

• roses
  plural

1. any of the wild or cultivated, usually prickly-stemmed, pinnate-leaved, showy-flowered shrubs of the genus Rosa.

2. any of various related or similar plants.

3. the flower of any such shrub, of a red, pink, white, or yellow color.

4. the traditional reddish color of this flower, variously a purplish red, pinkish red, or light crimson.

5. an ornament shaped like or suggesting this flower.

6. a pink or pinkish-red color in the cheek.

7. rose window.

8. Heraldry. a representation of a wild rose with five petals, usually seeded and barbed in a symmetrical design and used especially as the cadency mark of a seventh son.

9. any of various diagrams showing directions radiating from a common center, as a compass card or wind rose.

10. Jewelry.

    1. an obsolete gem style or cut, flat on the bottom and having an upper side with from 12, or fewer, to 32 triangular facets.

    2. a gem with this cut.

11. a perforated cap or plate, as at the end of a pipe or the spout of a watering pot, to break a flow of water into a spray.

12. an ornamental plate or socket surrounding the shaft of a doorknob at the face of a door.

13. Mathematics. a plane polar curve consisting of three or more equal loops that meet at the origin. Equation: r = a sin(nθ ) or r = a cos(nθ ).

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adjective

1. of the color rose.

2. for, containing, or growing roses.

   a rose garden.

3. scented like a rose.

verb (used with object)

rosed, rosing

1. to make rose-colored.

2. to flush (the face, cheeks, etc.).

idioms

1. come up roses, to turn out all right; result in success, glory, or profit.

   Despite setbacks, things should come up roses in the long run.

2. come out smelling like a rose, to escape negative consequences, especially to find one’s good reputation unaffected by a bad situation or scandalous association.

rose ² American  

[rohz] / roʊz /

verb

1. simple past tense of rise.

2. Nonstandard. a past participle of rise.

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rosé ³ American  

[roh-zey] / roʊˈzeɪ /

noun

• rosés
  plural

1. a pale pink wine resembling white wine in taste, made from red grapes by removing the skins from the must before fermentation is completed.

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Rose ⁴ American  

[rohz] / roʊz /

noun

1. Billy, 1899–1966, U.S. theatrical producer.

2. Peter Edward PeteCharlie Hustle, born 1941, U.S. baseball player.

3. Mount, a mountain in W Nevada, the highest in the Carson Range. 10,778 feet (3,285 meters).

4. a female given name.

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rose ¹ British  

/ rəʊz /

noun

1. 1. any shrub or climbing plant of the rosaceous genus Rosa , typically having prickly stems, compound leaves, and fragrant flowers

   2. ( in combination )

      rosebush

      rosetree

2. the flower of any of these plants

3. any of various similar plants, such as the rockrose and Christmas rose

4. 1. a moderate purplish-red colour; purplish pink

   2. ( as adjective )

      rose paint

5. a rose, or a representation of one, as the national emblem of England

6. jewellery

   1. a cut for a diamond or other gemstone, having a hemispherical faceted crown and a flat base

   2. a gem so cut

7. a perforated cap fitted to the spout of a watering can or the end of a hose, causing the water to issue in a spray

8. a design or decoration shaped like a rose; rosette

9. Also called: ceiling rose.  electrical engineering a circular boss attached to a ceiling through which the flexible lead of an electric-light fitting passes

10. history See red rose white rose

11. a situation of comfort or ease

12. in secret; privately; sub rosa

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verb

1. (tr) to make rose-coloured; cause to blush or redden

rose ² British  

/ rəʊz /

verb

1. the past tense of rise

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rosé ³ British  

/ ˈrəʊzeɪ /

noun

1. any pink wine, made either by removing the skins of red grapes after only a little colour has been extracted or by mixing red and white wines

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rose More Idioms  

1. see bed of roses; come up roses; see through rose-colored glasses.

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Usage

What does rose mean? The rose is a bulbous, fragrant flower that comes in many different varieties and colors, including red, white, pink, and yellow. They are among the world’s most popular and best-known flowers. The word rose can also refer to the plant on which roses grow, a shrub that’s commonly called a rosebush. Most rose plants are perennial shrubs. Roses are known for having sharp thorns on their stems. Roses belong to the genus Rosa, which includes many different species and  cultivated varieties. Roses are popular in gardens, especially formal ones. The kind of roses most commonly given as gifts are called hybrid tea roses. These are especially given as a symbol of romantic love, such as on special occasions like anniversaries or Valentine’s Day. Different colors of roses are said to symbolize different things, especially when given as gifts. While all roses are associated with romantic love, red roses have an especially strong association. White roses can be used to represent innocence, while yellow roses can be used to represent friendship. The rose is one of the June birth flowers (a flower that’s associated with a particular month in the same way as a birthstone). The word rose is also used to refer to a color—variously a pinkish red, a purplish red, or a dark crimson (all of which can be colors of roses). The related adjective rosy is used to describe a reddish or pinkish tinge, often of skin, as in rosy cheeks. Unrelatedly, the word rose is also the past tense of the verb rise. Example: I know that sending a dozen red roses is a cliché, but my wife loves them.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• roseless
  adjective
• roselike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• roses
  plural
• rosés
  plural

Etymology

Origin of rose¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English rōse, from Latin rosa; possibly via Etruscan ruze, rusi, a noun of uncertain meaning, from Greek rhodéa “rosebush,” from rhódon “rose”

Origin of rosé³

First recorded in 1425–75; from French: literally, “pink”; the variant blush wine first recorded in 1980–85

Explanation

A rose is a flower that people in love give each other. Even though Juliet says to Romeo, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” don’t go calling it a dandelion. Roses have multi-layered petals and smell wonderfully sweet. They come in a wide variety of colors that can convey various meanings: a single red rose, for example, sometimes means, "I love you." Rose is also the past tense of rise, as in “Yesterday, the water rose to the top.” As an adjective, rose means "pink," and when the word is pronounced row-SAY, it means a rose-colored wine. The Latin source of rose is rosa, which probably comes from an Iranian root.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rose rosé Rose roses rosés rosed rosing

Revenue rose 5.6% to $6.59 billion, compared with analyst estimates of $6.7 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Choosin' Texas also rose to pole position on the UK singles chart at the start of September, where it replaced Sam Fender and Olivia Dean's Rein Me In.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

The Nasdaq Composite Index rose modestly as falling oil prices helped U.S. tech stocks stay buoyant.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Bitcoin prices rose about 9% in September, reaching their highest intraday level since Jan. 29 at $87,359 on Tuesday.

From Barron's

But when she rose from her bed, she looked so old and tired, so pale and stooped.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

"Activated charcoal can remove the smoky taste from rosé and white wine," he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

As ever, best known for its jam, sells products including rosé wine, teas, shortbread cookies and flower sprinkles.

From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026

She also lends her expertise to the family winery, Casa Locé in Ojai, which produces rosé and sparkling Chardonnay under her Lucky Girl label.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026

‘Valentine’s Day is no longer all about roses and rosé … the stereotypical cliché gifts of the past are shifting to those that actually make everyday sense.’

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 13, 2026

Otherwise, a glass of rosé and Bravo is pretty darn good.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 17, 2025

"It was very intense and tough," Rose told TNT Sports.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Marco Rose is an attacking manager so if Liverpool don't buck their ideas up then Bournemouth are going to do the same, and Iraola could end up losing on his return to his former club.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

The comments, which came during a rare White House Rose Garden appearance by an attorney general, underscore how closely Blanche has aligned himself with the president.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

“I always tell people I’m very popular between Washington Boulevard, Lincoln Boulevard and Rose Avenue.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

After three hours of back-and-forth debate, Kennedy stopped talking in the middle of a sentence, opened the door to the Rose Garden, and walked out.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Officers were in the area over the weekend to provide reassurance to the community and a bunch of roses was left nearby in tribute to the girl.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

A bunch of roses was also left nearby, in tribute to the little girl.

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

Patterson's trial last year drew podcasters, film crews and true crime fans to a courthouse in the rural town of Morwell, a sedate hamlet in Victoria better known for its prize-winning roses.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

Tan, toned, twinkle in his eye, he looks like he should be handing out roses on “The Bachelor.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Dry stone walls are perfumed with tumbles of pink roses.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Note: Different rosés will taste different, so adjust the lime juice and simple syrup to your liking.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 22, 2023

If you think you don’t like rosé, explore different types, especially if you’ve only had the very pale rosés that are in vogue or tasted ones that seemed insipid or too sweet.

From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2022

And here are Eric’s picks of 12 exceptional rosés from $13 to $35.

From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2022

And start your patio party with either of these two rosés from France’s Mediterranean coast.

From Washington Post ● May 26, 2022

To round out this week’s springtime selection, we have two rosés from southern France and an impressive, inexpensive pinot noir from California.

From Washington Post ● May 5, 2022

It is a beautiful little type, "rosed from top to toe in flush of youth."

From Fragments of an Autobiography by Felix Moscheles

Alas, a crimson river of warm blood, Like to a bubbling fountain stirr'd with wind, Doth rise and fall between thy rosed lips, Coming and going with thy honey breath.

From The Tragedy of Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare

"I feel like Jupiter!" he called, rubbing his sides, and back, standing on one foot to dry the other, his glossy skin all rosed in patches from his vigorous rubbing.

From Shadows of Flames A Novel by Amélie Rives

Picotee’s face was rosed over with the brilliance of some excitement. 

From The Hand of Ethelberta by Thomas Hardy

With slow foot The low rosed moon, the face of Music mute, Begins among her silent bars to climb.

From Poems — Volume 1 by George Meredith

I found a thicket and slept; slept it must have been for many hours, for when I again awakened the dawn was rosing the east.

From The Moon Pool by Abraham Merritt

Roses in a royal throng,   Surging, rosing from the east!

From The poetical works of George MacDonald in two volumes — Volume 2 by George MacDonald

Related Words

• red