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roister

noun
rois·​ter | \ ˈrȯi-stÉ™r How to pronounce roister (audio) \

Definition of roister

 (Entry 1 of 2)

archaic
: one that roisters : roisterer

roister

verb
roistered; roistering\ ˈrȯi-​st(É™-​)riÅ‹ How to pronounce roistering (audio) \

Definition of roister (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to engage in noisy revelry : carouse dressed and ready for a roistering night in town— Sherwood Anderson
Other Words from roister Synonyms Roisterer vs Hooliganism More Example Sentences Learn More about roister

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Other Words from roister

Verb

roisterer \ ˈrȯi-​stÉ™r-​É™r How to pronounce roisterer (audio) \ noun
roisterous \ ˈrȯi-​st(É™-​)rÉ™s How to pronounce roisterous (audio) \ adjective
roisterously adverb

Synonyms for roister

Synonyms: Verb

binge, birl [chiefly Scottish], carouse, revel, wassail

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Roisterer vs Hooliganism

Verb

As British writer Hugo Williams asserted in The Times Literary Supplement (November 15, 1991), roistering tends to be "funnier, sillier and less harmful than standard hooliganism, being based on nonsense rather than violence." Boisterous roisterers might be chagrined to learn that the word roister derives from a Middle French word that means "lout" or "boor," rustre. Ultimately, however, it is from the fairly neutral Latin word rusticus, meaning "rural." In the 16th century, the original English verb was simply roist, and one who roisted was a roister. Later, we changed the verb to roister and the corresponding noun to roisterer.

Examples of roister in a Sentence

Verb

 the earl's wastrel son had spent the best part of his youth roistering and gambling

First Known Use of roister

Noun

1549, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1663, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for roister

Noun

Middle French rustre lout, alteration of ruste, from ruste, adjective, rude, rough, from Latin rusticus rural — more at rustic

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More from Merriam-Webster on roister

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with roister

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for roister

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