roe

¹

[ roh ]

noun

1. the mass of eggs, or spawn, within the ovarian membrane of the female fish.
2. the milt or sperm of the male fish.
3. the eggs of any of various crustaceans, as the coral of the lobster.

roe

²

[ roh ]

noun

, plural roes, (especially collectively) roe.

1. roe deer.

ROE

³

Accounting.

1. return on equity.

Roe

¹

/ rəʊ /

noun

1. Richard Roe
   law (formerly) the defendant in a fictitious action, Doe versus Roe, to test a point of law See also Doe

roe

²

/ rəʊ /

noun

1. Also calledhard roe the ovary of a female fish filled with mature eggs
2. Also calledsoft roe the testis of a male fish filled with mature sperm
3. the ripe ovary of certain crustaceans, such as the lobster

roe

³

/ rəʊ /

noun

1. short for roe deer

roe

/ rō /

1. The eggs of a fish, often together with the membrane of the ovary in which they are held.

Word History and Origins

Origin of roe¹

1400–50; late Middle English rowe; cognate with Old High German rogo

Origin of roe²

before 900; Middle English roo, Old English rā, rāha; cognate with German Reh

Word History and Origins

Origin of roe¹

C15: from Middle Dutch roge , from Old High German roga ; related to Old Norse hrogn

Origin of roe²

Old English rā ( ha ), related to Old High German rēh ( o ), Old Norse rā

Example Sentences

Supreme Court’s 2022 overturning of abortion rights long guaranteed by Roe vs.

From Los Angeles Times

Abortion surely played a role: State courts have immense leeway to expand or curtail reproductive rights in a post–Roe v.

From Slate

Trump's vows during his campaign marked a departure from his previous attitudes toward abortion, which saw the now-president-elect take credit for the Supreme Court overturning Roe v.

From Salon

When the Supreme Court overruled Roe in 2022, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul asked the state courts to clarify that this law was not an abortion ban but a feticide law—and thus did not apply to consensual abortions.

From Slate

But in the aftermath of Roe’s reversal, these laws are being put to different uses.

From Slate