rower

Etymology

From Middle English rower, rowere, roware, equivalent to row +‎ -er. Cognate with Dutch roeier (“rower”), Danish roer (“rower”), Norwegian roer (“rower”). Compare also Old English rōwend (“rower”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɹəʊ.ə(ɹ)/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Audio (US):

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Noun

rower (plural rowers)

1. One who rows.
   • 1874, Marcus Clarke, chapter VI, in For the Term of His Natural Life:

     It had been a sort of race hitherto, and the rowers, with set teeth and compressed lips, had pulled stroke for stroke.

   • 1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC, page 89:

     Upon her deck were rowers with dream-made oars, and the rowers were the people of men’s fancies, and princes of old story and people who had died, and people who had never been.

2. A rowing machine.
   • 1988, Richard Allen Winett, Ageless athletes, page 65:

     Aerobic and weight training sessions should also complement each other. For example, on a day you work your upper body with weights, you can use a rower for aerobics.

See also

Etymology

From Dutch rover, from Middle Dutch rôvere. Equivalent to roof +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈrʊə̯.vər/

Noun

rower (plural rowers, diminutive rowertjie)

1. robber, bandit

Etymology

Genericized trademark of the British company Rover.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈrɔ.vɛr/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔvɛr
• Syllabification: ro‧wer

Noun

rower m inan (diminutive rowerek, related adjective rowerowy)

1. bicycle, bike (vehicle that has two wheels, one behind the other, a steering handle, and a saddle seat or seats and is usually propelled by the action of a rider’s feet upon pedals)

   Synonym: (colloquial) dwa kółka

Further reading

• rower in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• rower in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• rower in PWN's encyclopedia