- past tense form of rise.
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rose
rosenounany of the wild or cultivated, usually prickly-stemmed, pinnate-leaved, showy-flowered shrubs of the genus Rosa.
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rosé
rosénouna 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
RosenounBilly, 1899–1966, U.S. theatrical producer.
rose
1 Americannoun
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roses
plural
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any of the wild or cultivated, usually prickly-stemmed, pinnate-leaved, showy-flowered shrubs of the genus Rosa.
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any of various related or similar plants.
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the flower of any such shrub, of a red, pink, white, or yellow color.
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the traditional reddish color of this flower, variously a purplish red, pinkish red, or light crimson.
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an ornament shaped like or suggesting this flower.
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a pink or pinkish-red color in the cheek.
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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.
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any of various diagrams showing directions radiating from a common center, as a compass card or wind rose.
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Jewelry.
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an obsolete gem style or cut, flat on the bottom and having an upper side with from 12, or fewer, to 32 triangular facets.
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a gem with this cut.
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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.
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an ornamental plate or socket surrounding the shaft of a doorknob at the face of a door.
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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 ).
adjective
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of the color rose.
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for, containing, or growing roses.
a rose garden.
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scented like a rose.
verb (used with object)
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to make rose-colored.
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to flush (the face, cheeks, etc.).
idioms
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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.
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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.
noun
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rosés
plural
noun
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Billy, 1899–1966, U.S. theatrical producer.
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Peter Edward PeteCharlie Hustle, born 1941, U.S. baseball player.
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Mount, a mountain in W Nevada, the highest in the Carson Range. 10,778 feet (3,285 meters).
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a female given name.
noun
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any shrub or climbing plant of the rosaceous genus Rosa , typically having prickly stems, compound leaves, and fragrant flowers
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( in combination )
rosebush
rosetree
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the flower of any of these plants
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any of various similar plants, such as the rockrose and Christmas rose
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a moderate purplish-red colour; purplish pink
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( as adjective )
rose paint
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a rose, or a representation of one, as the national emblem of England
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jewellery
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a cut for a diamond or other gemstone, having a hemispherical faceted crown and a flat base
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a gem so cut
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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
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a design or decoration shaped like a rose; rosette
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Also called: ceiling rose. electrical engineering a circular boss attached to a ceiling through which the flexible lead of an electric-light fitting passes
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history See red rose white rose
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a situation of comfort or ease
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in secret; privately; sub rosa
verb
verb
noun
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
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing rose
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:
Closer to home, it reports that spending across London's West End rose 15% in the first six days after Oxford Street was pedestrianised.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
Average hourly wages for permanent employees rose 2% on a year earlier, following a 2.3% rise in September.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Moderna’s revenue rose 29% to $1.3 billion in the third quarter, which is usually the company’s highest-revenue quarter based on the seasonality of COVID, RSV and flu vaccines.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
Among the hardest hit chip makers Nvidia rose 2.8% to $186.64.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
The Daily Democrat described the audience’s initial reaction to the sounds, “the more the ghost rapped … the higher rose the spirit of mirth.”
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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"Activated charcoal can remove the smoky taste from rosé and white wine," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
"Look at Australia," says German fan Julia Arnolde, interrupting a bottle of rosé to share her opinon.
From BBC ● May 17, 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
The rosé flows, club music plays at tolerable volumes and you won’t find any conga lines or overserved patrons dancing on tables for Instagram likes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026
Rose, 45, created her namesake menswear label in London in 2007, with styles inspired by the rave and hip-hop scenes as well as punk and football.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
French luxury group Kering said Friday that British designer Martine Rose would take over at Balenciaga, following the departure of Pierpaolo Piccioli after just 18 months on the job.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
"He's got us in the war," another voter, Rose Heming, said.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
Yagher adds the Crypt Keeper was stylized for the video based on the look of then-current hot music artists, namely Ice-T, Axl Rose, Ice Cube “and even Vanilla Ice.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
After the last dish had been dried, Aunt Rose turned and looked at Ophie.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
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Her 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 ● Oct. 28, 2026
Although it's important to note that this contest hasn't been a bed of roses, with Monica Lennon labelling the party "quite nasty" when she failed to make the final leadership ballot.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
At the base of the charred pine are dozens of bouquets — roses, daisies and white lilies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
The title track opens the set with a patiently strummed acoustic guitar and Beck’s voice leading with “Yesterday / Paper roses they forgot to bloom.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
It was brimming with buckets of orange lilies, purple stock, yellow spray roses, red carnations, baby snapdragons...and lavender, lavender, lavender.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Note: Different rosés will taste different, so adjust the lime juice and simple syrup to your liking.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 22, 2023
Here are a few of my favorite American rosés I’ve tasted this year.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 28, 2022
The rest of the blend is cinsaut and mourvèdre, two grapes more familiar to fans of Provençal rosés.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 28, 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
And here are Eric’s picks of 12 exceptional rosés from $13 to $35.
From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2022
And does a cheek, like any sea-shell rosed, Or clear as widowed sky, seem most divine?
From Poems — Volume 1 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
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
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
Succourful daughters of men are the rosed and starred Revolving Twelves in their fluent germinal rings, Despite the burden to chasten, abase, depose.
From Poems — Volume 3 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
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