Ross

• (Scottish surname): Rosse

• As a Scottish surname, from several places such as Roose in Cumbria or Roos in Yorkshire, both from Scottish Gaelic ros (“promontory”) or a Brythonic parallel of its source such as Welsh rhos (“moor, heath”). There were also several Norman families in Scotland who took their name from Rots in Calvados. Compare Rose, Rhodes.
• As an English surname, from Wrose in Shipley, with loss of initial w.
• As an English and German surname, from derivatives of the old Germanic root common in names *hrōþi (“fame”). Compare Rossell.
• As a Cornish surname, from several places in Cornwall deriving from ros (“heathland”), related to the above Celtic word meaning "heath" or "promontory." See Rouse.
• As a Jewish and German occupational surname for a breeder of horses,^[1] from the regional/poetic noun Ross (“horse”). Doublet of horse.
• Also as a Jewish surname, Americanized from Rose.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɹɔs/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ɹɑs/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɹɒs/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒs

Ross (countable and uncountable, plural Rosses)

1. An English and Scottish habitational surname from Scottish Gaelic derived from any of several places of that name, from Scottish Gaelic ros (“headland”).
2. A male given name transferred from the surname, of early 19th century and later usage.
   • 2025 January 20, Jacob Sullum, “Why Trump Should Keep His Promise To Free Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht”, in Reason‎^[1]:

     In addition to many other things he has promised to do on his first day in office, Donald Trump has said he will free Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who is serving a life sentence in federal prison for connecting drug consumers with drug sellers.

3. A number of places in the United States:
   1. An unincorporated community in Pope County, Arkansas.
   2. A town in Marin County, California.
   3. An unincorporated community in Calumet Township, Lake County, Indiana.
   4. An unincorporated community in Audubon County, Iowa.
   5. An unincorporated community in Dieter Township, Roseau County, Minnesota.
   6. A minor city in Mountrail County, North Dakota.
   7. A township and census-designated place therein, in Butler County, Ohio.
   8. A minor city in McLennan County, Texas.
   9. A town in Forest County, Wisconsin.
   10. An unincorporated community in the town of Liberty, Vernon County, Wisconsin.
   11. A number of other townships in the United States, listed under Ross Township.
4. A hamlet in Middleton parish, Northumberland, England (OS grid ref NU1336).
5. A coastal hamlet south of Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NX6444). ^[2]
6. A coastal locality near Burnmouth, Scottish Borders council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NT9660).
7. A village in Northern Midlands council area, Tasmania, Australia.
8. A small town in the West Coast region, South Island, New Zealand. ^[3]

• RSOs, SROs, sors

From Middle High German ros (“horse”), from Old High German ros, hros (“horse”), from Proto-West Germanic *hross (“horse”).

Ross n

1. (Uri) horse

• Kawall

• Abegg, Emil, (1911) Die Mundart von Urseren (Beiträge zur Schweizerdeutschen Grammatik. IV.) [The Dialect of Urseren], Frauenfeld, Switzerland: Huber & Co.

• Roß (superseded)

From Middle High German ros (“horse”), from Old High German ros, hros (“horse”), from Proto-West Germanic *hross.

• IPA^(key): /ʁɔs/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔs
• Hyphenation: Ross

Ross n (strong, genitive Rosses, plural Rosse or Rösser, diminutive Rösschen n or Rösslein n or Rösserl n or Rössal n or Rössel n)

1. (regional or higher register) horse

   Synonym: Pferd

   • 1876, Richard Wagner, Siegfried, Act 3, Scene 3:

     ... Dort seh’ ich Grane, mein selig Roß: \ wie weidet er munter der mit mir schlief! \ Mit mir hat ihn Siegfried erweckt. — Richard Wagner, Siegfried, Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene.

     I see Grane there, my trusty steed: \ how happily he grazes, he who was asleep like me! \ Siegfried woke him along with me.

   • 1914, His Majesty the Emperor of Germany Wilhelm II, An das Deutsche Volk

     Wir werden uns wehren bis zum letzten Hauch von Mann und Roß

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2001, “Rein raus”, performed by Rammstein:

     Ich bin der Reiter / Du bist das Ross / Ich hab den Schlüssel / Du hast das Schloß / Die Tür geht auf / Ich trete ein / Das Leben kann so prachtvoll sein

     I am the rider / You are the horse / I have the key / You have the castle / The door opens / I enter / Life can be so gorgeous

2. (regional, derogatory) stupid person, moron

• Ross is a normal word for “horse”, alongside Pferd, in many parts of southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In northern and central Germany, Ross is perceived as being used in an elevated style, but even in a humoristic way.
• The plurals Rosse and Rösser are equally acceptable and roughly equally common, though the former is traditionally preferred in written standard German.

• Walross (originally from North Germanic)

• Einhufer, Gaul, Klepper, Pferd, Reitpferd

• “Ross” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Ross” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Ross” in Duden online
• Ross on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de

Borrowed from Brazilian Portuguese roça.^[1]

• IPA^(key): /ˈros/
• Rhymes: -os
• Syllabification: Ross

Ross f (plural Rosse)

1. countryside