roach

C2 Topic:Animals

US /roʊtʃ/ UK /rəʊtʃ/ See IPA manual

Freq #14932

Meanings

1

noun
a silvery-green European freshwater fish, or any of several related fishes

The angler released the small roach into the lake.
2

noun
informal: a cockroach

A roach disappeared into a crack beneath the kitchen cabinet.
3

noun
the short remaining end of a smoked cannabis cigarette

He extinguished the roach in the ashtray.
4

verb
to cut a horse's mane short so that the remaining hair stands upright

The groom chose to roach the horse's tangled mane.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a silvery-green european... freshwater roach

2 noun · informal: a cockroach cockroach

3 noun · the short remaining end of... butt

4 verb · to cut a horse's mane short... crop clip

Word family

Derived forms roachedroaching

Related forms Rutiluscockroach mane

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

roach clip
a small gripping tool used to hold the end of a cannabis cigarette

Noun + noun

Etymology

The fish name comes through Middle English and Anglo-French roche; its deeper origin is uncertain. The insect sense is a shortening of cockroach, while the cigarette-end and grooming senses have separate later histories. Their shared spelling makes roach a set of established homonyms.

Topics

Animals Register & Style

External links

# roach

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /roʊtʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /rəʊtʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 14932

## Meanings
1. a silvery-green European freshwater fish, or any of several related fishes
2. informal: a cockroach
3. the short remaining end of a smoked cannabis cigarette
4. to cut a horse's mane short so that the remaining hair stands upright

## Examples
- The angler released the small roach into the lake.
- A roach disappeared into a crack beneath the kitchen cabinet.
- He extinguished the roach in the ashtray.
- The groom chose to roach the horse's tangled mane.

## Synonyms
- freshwater roach
- cockroach
- butt
- crop

## Derived Forms
- roached
- roaching

## Related Forms
- Rutilus
- cockroach
- mane

## Etymology
The fish name comes through Middle English and Anglo-French roche; its deeper origin is uncertain. The insect sense is a shortening of cockroach, while the cigarette-end and grooming senses have separate later histories. Their shared spelling makes roach a set of established homonyms.

## Topics
- Animals
- Register & Style

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