noun
Uncommon
roe
ROH
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.”
noun
1
The mass of eggs inside a female fish, often eaten as food.
"The chef served the salmon roe on tiny toast rounds."
"She scooped a spoonful of orange roe onto the sushi."
2
The soft, sperm-filled reproductive gland of a male fish, sometimes called "soft roe".
"Soft roe has a much creamier texture than the hard, egg-filled kind."
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.
Common mistake
Roe is the eggs themselves, not a whole fish egg sac dish like caviar (which specifically means salted sturgeon roe).
Common pairings
fish roe
salmon roe
hard roe
soft roe
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Word forms
- Plural
- roes
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 →
hard roe
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.
