roving
1 Americanadjective
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roaming or wandering.
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not assigned or restricted to any particular location, area, topic, etc..
a roving editor.
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not assigned to any particular diplomatic post but having a special mission.
a roving ambassador.
noun
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a soft strand of fiber that has been twisted, attenuated, and freed of foreign matter preparatory to its conversion into yarn.
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the final phase of carding, in which this is done.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of roving1
First recorded in 1590–1600; rove 1 + -ing 2
Origin of roving2
Explanation
Roving things or people are in motion, like a roving reporter who travels to cover stories instead of staying put at her desk. Some roving animals are migrating, moving from one point on the globe to another. Roving travelers might be folks who live out of their camper as they wander across the country. And your job might be described as roving, too: "I work as a roving news photographer." Roving comes from the verb rove, "wander," which earlier meant "shoot arrows at a mark selected at random."
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.
Inside the city, Russian soldiers are believed to be holed up in buildings, hiding from roving Ukrainian drones.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
The original’s Cylons were the show’s answer to George Lucas’ stormtroopers in “Star Wars,” only shinier, with sinister red lights roving back and forth where their eyes should be.
From Salon • May 5, 2026
He is based in Europe but roving widely, working with bureau chiefs and reporters to catalyze our best reporting from the field.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
Trump's roving negotiator Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner had also been urging the president to hold off attacks and give diplomacy a chance, Axios said.
From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026
Then she’s past, dress swaying lightly, cane roving back and forth, and he watches her continue up the street until the fog swallows her.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
