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⇱ roof - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

roof

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈruːf/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ruf, rʊf/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(ro̅o̅f, rŏŏf )

Inflections of 'roof' (n): npl: roofs

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
roof /ruf, rʊf/USA pronunciation   n. 
    [countable]
  1. the outside, upper covering of a building.
  2. something that covers like a roof, such as the top of a car.
  3. (used to refer to a whole house):They lived under the same roof for years.

v. [~ + object]
  1. to provide or cover with a roof.
Idioms
  1. Idioms, go through the roof:
    • (esp. of costs) to increase quickly and surprisingly:The cost of improvements has gone through the roof.
    • Also, hit the roof. to lose one's temper:She'll hit the roof when she hears how much we spent.

roof•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
roof  (ro̅o̅f, rŏŏf ),USA pronunciation n., pl. roofs, v. 
n. 
    1. the external upper covering of a house or other building.
    2. a frame for supporting this:an open-timbered roof.
    3. the highest part or summit:The Himalayas are the roof of the world.
    4. something that in form or position resembles the roof of a house, as the top of a car, the upper part of the mouth, etc.
    5. a house.
    6. Miningthe rock immediately above a horizontal mineral deposit.
    7. go through the roof:
      • to increase beyond all expectations:Foreign travel may very well go through the roof next year.
      • Also, hit the roof, [Informal.]to lose one's temper;
        become extremely angry.
    8. raise the roof, [Informal.]
      • to create a loud noise:The applause raised the roof.
      • to complain or protest noisily:He'll raise the roof when he sees that bill.

    v.t. 
    1. to provide or cover with a roof.
    • bef. 900; Middle English (noun, nominal); Old English hrōf; cognate with Dutch roef cover, cabin, Old Norse hrōf 
    roof′like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
roof /ruːf/ n ( pl roofs /ruːfs; ruːvz/)
    • a structure that covers or forms the top of a building
    • (in combination): the rooftop
    • (as modifier): a roof garden
  2. the top covering of a vehicle, oven, or other structure: the roof of a car
  3. any structure that covers an organ or part: the roof of the mouth
  4. a highest or topmost point or part: Mount Everest is the roof of the world
  5. a house or other shelter: a poor man's roof
  6. hit the roof, go through the roof ⇒ informal to get extremely angry; become furious
 vb
  1. (transitive) to provide or cover with a roof or rooflike part
Etymology: Old English hrōf; related to Middle Dutch, Old Norse hrōfˈroofer n ˈroofless adj
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
ga′ble roof′, 
  1. Architecturea roof sloping downward in two parts at an angle from a central ridge, so as to leave a gable at each end. See illus. at roof. 
  • 1840–50
ga′ble-roofed′, adj. 

'roof' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: a [straw, thatched, concrete, brick, timbered] roof, roofed with [thatch, corrugated steel, glass, stone, tile], roof [tiles, timber], more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "roof" in the title:

(The) heat gathers under the roof
a nest in the roof
a packet of crisps on the roof
a quarter of the roof at one end of the room
A roof above our head
a roof angle
a shallow slate roof
a single portal on the roof
a strange outcrop of roof
a thatched roof of poles
A vine plant climbing/climbed on/on to the roof.
acting like a cat on a hot tin roof
And on the flat roof, just below where Janet's bedroom was, it was soaking wet.
and the sodden billycock removed from the roof
Antonym of "go through the roof"
as house after house after house with the roof blown in
As soon as the word got out the fix was in, man, the odds went through the roof.
astride its roof
barrel truss roof
be through the roof
blow the roof off = improve?
Blow the roof off this
both were reflected from the gilding of roof and cornice
bring the roof down
bubble on the roof
carrying up the roof another story
Chinese markets under one metal roof
climb (up) the roof
closing that roof line up
corrugated roof
more...

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