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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-zay] / 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

The Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.3% on possible position adjustments as investors are waiting to see U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

"If you were to plant something like a mint, a eucalyptus or a rose geranium - they have very strongly scented leaves and they're around for a long period of time."

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

Exports rose 36.3% from a year earlier in September, accelerating from August’s 25.0% increase, according to data released Wednesday by the General Administration of Customs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expect the September Consumer Price Index to show inflation rose to 3.6% from 3.4% in August.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Middle-night passed, the dying moon rose, and still the clan meet went on.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Another very old drink that has found new fans is orange wine, which has ascended as a rosé alternative.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

While many customers opt for a chilled white or rosé when it gets warm, he thinks a chilled red has more flavour and character.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

He bought a bottle of rosé, posed for photos with Delilah and Sarmiento and went off — but not before a staffer adjusted the back of his collar.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 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

When the Rose Café closed, I felt as if someone had removed a landmark from the map of my romantic life.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

The Rose Café sat on Rose Avenue near the Santa Monica border, close enough to my apartment that I could walk.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

Bournemouth have not won yet under Marco Rose, and they are also without key midfielder Alex Scott for a while as a result of his injury on international duty.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

I feel like the Cherries have been a bit unlucky with their results under Rose so far, because they have conceded some costly late goals, but Scott's absence is a huge blow for them.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

At a time in England when longbow archery was mandatory for all adult men, longbows, various forms of shorter bows, arrows, and other archery-related equipment were the most common weapons aboard the Mary Rose.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

The situation escalates as the mariachi music begins playing and the couple approach a display of white roses and candles laid out on the grass.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026

At the base of the charred pine are dozens of bouquets — roses, daisies and white lilies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

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

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

Playing divorced designer Elizabeth James, Richardson has an on-screen boudoir that is a sanctuary for the working creative mother: charcoal sketches; wire-framed reading glasses; ’90s white cordless landline; creamy thank-you roses on the nightstand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

He claimed they were better than red roses from the grocery store, because those greenhouse-born flowers couldn’t survive in the winter.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

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

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 22, 2023

Throughout our cold spell and wild weather through March, there was at least one persistent sign that spring was near: The new vintage of rosés has arrived.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 30, 2023

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

From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2022

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

As spring weather finally takes over from old man winter, pandemic-related supply chain woes may delay the arrival of the 2021 rosés.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 21, 2022

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

And does a cheek, like any sea-shell rosed, Or clear as widowed sky, seem most divine?

From Poems — Volume 1 by George Meredith

She sank; she snatched at colours; they were peel Of fruit past savour, in derision rosed.

From Poems — Volume 3 by George Meredith

He softly went nearer to her, and observed that a warm flush now rosed her hitherto blue cheeks, and felt that her hanging hand was no longer cold.

From Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

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

From Fragments of an Autobiography by Felix Moscheles

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