roving

¹

[ roh-ving ]

adjective

1. roaming or wandering.
2. not assigned or restricted to any particular location, area, topic, etc.:

   a roving editor.

3. not assigned to any particular diplomatic post but having a special mission:

   a roving ambassador.

roving

²

[ roh-ving ]

noun

1. a soft strand of fiber that has been twisted, attenuated, and freed of foreign matter preparatory to its conversion into yarn.
2. the final phase of carding, in which this is done.

Other Words From

• roving·ly adverb
• roving·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of roving¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; rove ¹ + -ing ²

Origin of roving²

First recorded in 1785–95; rove ³ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

With all the motors, sensors, and robotic pieces to craft your own miniature troop, you will be able to build 7 roving robots with intelligent light sensors and advanced vibro-motor mechanics.

From Popular-Science

You’ll encounter roving and stage performers who rely on donations.

From Washington Post

Plastic waste choked waterways, created breeding grounds for malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and could be deadly to roving livestock.

From Quartz

The place was secluded, allowing Giuliani to meet his sources away from the roving reporters, myself included, who were searching for him around the city’s more central restaurants and hotels.

From TIme

Often, while traveling about the land, the Hunter will find herself caught in a roving red storm that affects everything in its path.

From Washington Post

And, perhaps most importantly, you will find a roving cast of characters—the employees of distillery.

From The Daily Beast

She had heard about my novel Roving Pack and read it after being diagnosed with cancer.

From The Daily Beast

This philosophy quickly transforms our ride into a long, white roving chimney.

From The Daily Beast

Her foreign tours include the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and several years as a roving foreign correspondent worldwide.

From The Daily Beast

A roving gang of youths armed with bats and huge boom boxes hunt the band.

From The Daily Beast

Here and there roving parties appeared, but having no recognized leaders, their existence did not invalidate the treaty.

From Project Gutenberg

The patch of soft green that I knew for the cottonwoods Rutter had spoken of drew my roving gaze whether I would or no.

From Project Gutenberg

Suddenly he took them in his arms and walked quickly over to the stove, his eye roving in search of a match-box.

From Project Gutenberg

"And when the roving spirit once lays hold of a lad, he must have his way—he is good for nothing else," said Dr. May.

From Project Gutenberg

And yet the wind was howling in the woods,The roving thunder bellowing in the clouds,Before the dawn had risen in the sky.

From Project Gutenberg