rote

¹

[ roht ]

adjective

1. proceeding mechanically and repetitiously; being mechanical and repetitious in nature; routine; habitual:

   rote performance;

   rote implementation;

   His behavior became more rote with every passing year.

noun

1. a fixed, habitual, or mechanical course of procedure; routine:

   the rote of daily living.

rote

²

[ roht ]

noun

, Music.

1. crowd ².

rote

³

[ roht ]

noun

1. the sound of waves breaking on the shore.

rote

¹

/ rəʊt /

noun

1. an ancient violin-like musical instrument; crwth

rote

²

/ rəʊt /

noun

1. a habitual or mechanical routine or procedure
2. by rote
   by repetition; by heart (often in the phrase learn by rote )

Word History and Origins

Origin of rote¹

First recorded in 1300–150; Middle English; of obscure origin

Origin of rote²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English rote, rotte, route, a kind of harp, from Old French rote, route “stringed instrument,” from unattested Frankish hrota (compare Old High German hruozza ); akin to crowd ²

Origin of rote³

First recorded in 1600–10; of uncertain origin; perhaps from Old Norse rauta “to roar”

Word History and Origins

Origin of rote¹

C13: from Old French rote , of Germanic origin; related to Old High German rotta , Middle Dutch rotte

Origin of rote²

C14: origin unknown

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. by rote, from memory, without thought of the meaning; in a mechanical way:

   to learn a language by rote.

More idioms and phrases containing rote

see by heart (rote) .

Example Sentences

He and Evans never find their groove, and while Evans’ Boston-accented deadbeat cad routine is rote for him at this point, Johnson feels adrift, never locking in to a specific tone.

From Los Angeles Times

By the time “Weekend Update” came along, with two non-election related character bits that missed the mark, the sketches began to feel exhausted and rote, with bad premises and weak writing.

From Los Angeles Times

Is it a case of rote journalistic convention that turns Trump’s demented ravings into something resembling the blandly acceptable “policy statements” of a typical gladhanding pol?

From Salon

Trump attempted to deliver a rote teleprompter speech that derided Biden's economy and discussed his plans to raise more tariffs, drill baby drill and lower more taxes.

From Salon

The days there felt dull and rote, like life was playing in a pre-Oz black-and-white.

From Los Angeles Times