roach

Certain members of the fish family Cyprinidae, including:

Noun

  1. Certain members of the fish family Cyprinidae, including:

    1. Any fish of species in the genus Rutilus, especially:

    2. Any fish of species in the genus Rutilus, especially:

      A common roach (Rutilus rutilus).

    3. Any of genus Hesperoleucus of California roaches.

Origin

From Middle English roche, from Old French roche, from Middle Low German roche, ruche (“ray (fish)”), from Old Saxon *rūh, possibly from Proto-Germanic *rūhaz (“rough”). Cognate with Old English ruhha ("a ray"; > Middle English rouhe, rohȝe), German Rochen (“ray (fish)”).

Forms

roaches roach

Derived

Albanian roach Black Sea roach blue roach California roach Caspian roach common roach deroach headroach roachicide roachification roachless roachlike roachy roboroach

Noun US

  1. Synonym of cockroach (“type of insect”).

    Synonyms: cockroach

  2. Synonym of cockroach (“as a term of abuse”).

    Synonyms: cockroach

  3. The butt of a marijuana cigarette.
  4. An entire marijuana cigarette, blunt, or joint.
    • In his half hour of free time between brooms it was Willie's custom to smoke his lunch in an alleyway. He'd take just half a roach, only enough to make him feel a new day was starting, no more no less. - 1957, Alfred...
  5. The filter of a rolled cigarette or joint, made from card or paper (often of the cigarette paper packet itself).
    • Last toke is the yellowing fabric of the roach, containing the stuff that is less than tobacco. - 2000, Zadie Smith, White Teeth, London: Penguin Books, published 2001, →ISBN, page 292:

Origin

Back-formation from cockroach, as if it were a compound. Marijuana-related meanings by similarity of appearance of the butt, attested since the 1930s.

Forms

roaches

Derived

brown-banded roach dubia roach Guyana spotted roach kikeroach Madeira roach orange-spotted roach oriental roach roach bomb roach clip roach coach roach fogger roach killer roach motel roach out roach stomper sea roach snow roach Turkroach turkroach wharf roach wood roach

Noun nautical, transport

  1. Sail material that forms a concave curve rather than straight leech (aft edge) of a sail to increase the sail area over that of a simple triangular sail.
  2. A haircut or a similar-looking kind of headdress worn by some of the indigenous peoples of North America, often red.

Origin

Apparently from extended or figurative use of roach (“Cyprinidae”), above. Compare the adjective roached (“styled so that the mane stands up from the neck”).

Forms

roaches

Derived

roach-backed

Noun business, mining

  1. A bed or stratum of some mineral.
    • After long Working of this Coal, it was found upon the rising Grounds, that there lay another Roach of Coal, at the Depth of 14 Yards under it - 1749, Rog. Mostyn, “Mineralogy”, in Philosophical Transactions and...
  2. Gritty or coarse rock; especially Portland stone or similar limestone.
    • The roach, both of the top and bottom beds, is always imperceptibly incorporated with the freestone, which is invariable situated beneath it. - 1841, C.H. Smith, “Lithology; or Observations on Stone for Building”, in...

Origin

Variant of roche (“rock”). Attested since the seventeenth century.

Forms

roaches

Verb Entry 5

  1. To cut or shave off the mane of a horse so that the remaining hair stands up on the neck.
  2. To cut a person's hair so that it stands straight up.

Forms

roaches roaching roached

Derived

roached

Verb Entry 6

  1. Synonym of roach out.
    • Yamato roached on his best friend. - 2025 February 7, Bravado, Blizzard Forums:
    • I stand by it being a horrible call, but Yamdef getting called out for roaching, there’s definitely some irony going on there. - 2025 February 7, Skunkyboy, Blizzard Forums:

    Synonyms: roach out

Forms

roaches roaching roached