How do you pronounce roving?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɹoʊvɪŋ/.

Where does roving come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

roving

/ˈɹoʊvɪŋ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.98 in modern English

Syllables: rov-ing
IPA: /ˈɹoʊvɪŋ/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Moving about; having no fixed or permanent abode; travelling from place to place.

adj

Of the eyes or gaze, inspecting all over; not staying fixed on one subject.

noun

A long and narrow bundle of fibre, usually used to spin woollen yarn or in felting.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The process of giving the first twist to yarn.

Countable; Uncountable

verb

present participle and gerund of rove

Example Sentences

"The Northern Territory was dear to us both, and the fever for a roving life had not yet worn off, but some time elapsed before we could quite make up our minds whether to try our fortunes in Port Darwin again or not."
"His roving eyes never focused on anything specific."
"It could complicate things for our little household. Particularly when Larry’s roving eye is factored in."
"There was a tall, green-eyed young woman with steeply slanting Central European cheekbones who particularly caught his sexually abstinent but still roving eye."
"Mr. J. W. Strange, of Taunton, Mass., has invented an improved method of laying roving in cans."

Etymology

From rove + -ing.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: rove(n)

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈɹoʊvɪŋ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more roving (comparative) most roving (superlative) rovings (plural)

Derived Forms

rovingly rovingness

Phrases

roving bridge roving editor roving eye roving plate roving reel roving reporter roving sailor

Synonyms

wandering mobile nomadic peregrine vagabondage

Rhymes With

hoving