Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

roughage

American  
[ruhf-ij] / ˈrʌf ɪdʒ /

noun

  1. rough or coarse material.

  2. any coarse, rough food for livestock.

  3. fiber.

roughage British  
/ ˈrʌfɪdʒ /

noun

  1. the coarse indigestible constituents of food or fodder, which provide bulk to the diet and promote normal bowel function See also dietary fibre

  2. any rough or coarse material

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of roughage

First recorded in 1880–85; rough + -age

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.

"Roughage that smells the least bit moldy or musty should always be avoided," says Gibbs.

From Time Magazine Archive

Progressive Farmer dominates by giving farmers articles on everything from "Rhinitis in Hogs," "Bible Readings" and "Roughage for Dairy Cows" to "16 Ways to Beat the Feed Shortage" and "Poisons and Their Uses."

From Time Magazine Archive

Roughage is supplied if not available otherwise and straw, hay or vegetables are utilized for this purpose.

From Ducks and Geese by Lamon, Harry M.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.