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Showing results for roughage. Search instead for roughlegs.
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.

See Examples For:

The effects of fibre were first discovered in the 1970s, when it was believed that fibre was just "hard roughage stuff" that helped our bodies get rid of waste, explains Whelan.

From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2026

Therefore, the digestive system must be able to handle large amounts of roughage and break down the cellulose.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Although this heap of roughage looks as if it should be taken for medicinal purposes only, the greens have lost their ferocious raw quality after being thoroughly kneaded with a Caesar-like dressing.

From New York Times ● Jan. 31, 2022

It's a time when we focus on our "beach bodies": We're in and out of the gym and then right over to our favorite restaurant for that big bowl of summer roughage.

From Salon ● Dec. 31, 2021

If the animal can eat, it is not advisable to feed a heavy ration of roughage or grain.

From Common Diseases of Farm Animals by R. A. Craig, D.V.M.

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