roost

1 of 2

noun

ˈrüst 

1

a

: a support on which birds rest

b

: a place where winged animals and especially birds customarily roost

2

: a group of birds roosting together

roost

2 of 2

verb

roosted; roosting; roosts

intransitive verb

1

: to settle down for rest or sleep : perch

2

: to settle oneself as if on a roost

transitive verb

: to supply a roost for or put to roost

Synonyms

Verb

• alight
• land
• light
• perch
• settle
• touch down

Examples of roost in a Sentence

Verb

Pigeons roost on the building's ledge.

pigeons flying home to roost on the roof

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Their habitat is being threatened by deforestation, with humans cutting down their roosts for farms and houses. —Melissa Locker, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Nov. 2024

If a bat returns to the roost hungry, others may regurgitate a blood meal to get them through the night. —Sebastian Stockmaier, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2024

Verb

Head downtown around dusk and the crows are hard to miss — roosting in trees, squawking to each other and plastering the sidewalk with their droppings, but not if Draco has anything to do with it. —Kale Williams, Axios, 2 Dec. 2024

Pigeons roost noisily on the windowsill, as always. —Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hrōst; akin to Old Saxon hrōst attic

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing roost

• come home to roost
• rule the roost
• the/his chickens are (finally) coming home to roost

Kids Definition

roost

1 of 2 noun

ˈrüst 

1

: a support on which birds rest

2

: a place where birds often roost

roost

2 of 2 verb

: to settle down for rest or sleep : perch