roe
Roe (noun) means the mass of eggs inside a female fish, often eaten as food. Example: “The chef served the salmon roe on tiny toast rounds.”
How to use roe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe eggs (or, less often, the sperm) found inside a fish, usually sold or served as food.
Roe is the eggs themselves, not a whole fish egg sac dish like caviar (which specifically means salted sturgeon roe).
Word forms
roes plural, Roes plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The chef served the salmon _____ on tiny toast rounds.
Etymology
From Old English hrogn, "spawn or fish eggs", tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root for frog spawn — it has nothing to do with the name Roe.
Synonyms
View more →Rhymes for roe
See all rhymes for roe →Frequently asked questions
What does “roe” mean?
The word “roe” means the mass of eggs inside a female fish, often eaten as food. In plain terms, the eggs (or, less often, the sperm) found inside a fish, usually sold or served as food.
How do you pronounce “roe”?
“Roe” is pronounced ROH (/ˈɹoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “roe” in a sentence?
Here is “roe” used in a sentence: “The chef served the salmon roe on tiny toast rounds.”
What part of speech is “roe”?
“Roe” is a noun.
Where does the word “roe” come from?
The word “roe” comes from Old English. From Old English hrogn, "spawn or fish eggs", tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root for frog spawn — it has nothing to do with the name Roe.
Is “roe” a common word?
“Roe” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “roe” have?
“Roe” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the mass of eggs inside a female fish, often eaten as food.