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roller

roller

53 9.9
A pigeon bred to do backward flips while flying
  • noun
  • /ˈroʊlər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : paloma volatinera
  • You can't breed two deep rollers, or their young will roll all the way down, hit, and die.

Examples

  • Do you know what a roller pigeon is, Barney?

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The trainer showed us how the roller pigeons perform their impressive backward somersaults in the air.

  • In the competition, the roller pigeons executed stunning aerial flips that amazed the audience.

  • Watching the roller pigeon glide and tumble through the sky was a breathtaking experience.

Synonyms

tumbler
vsroller
1 9.5

A pigeon breed that does backward flips in the air or on the ground

is an alternative name with identical meaning and use
tumbler pigeon
vsroller
9.9

A domestic pigeon that flips backward in flight or on the ground

is the single-word alternative referring to identical performing birds

Compounds

A fast amusement park ride with steep slopes and sharp turns

roller coaster
  • Informal
33 3.4

A situation with sudden extreme changes in mood or luck

25 5.6

A person who gambles or spends very large amounts of money, often in casinos

9 2.3

A shoe with small wheels under it for moving on hard ground

4 9.9

A Christian who worships with loud, joyful actions like shouting, dancing, or rolling on the floor

An activity of moving on shoes with small wheels

A person who moves on shoes with small wheels for sport or fun

1 2.3

A tool with a soft round surface for painting large walls or ceilings

roller bearing
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A machine part with small round pieces that roll to let other parts move smoothly

A brightly coloured bird with blue and green feathers and a reddish back that flies in quick rolls

leaf roller
  • Specialized
8.4

A small moth whose caterpillars roll leaves and tie them with silk to make a nest

leaf-roller
  • Specialized
8.9

A moth whose caterpillars roll and tie leaves with silk to make a nest

A heavy round tool you roll to press and level a lawn

9.9

A bird from Madagascar that lives on the ground and is active at dusk, eating insects and worms

road roller
  • Specialized
2.9

A heavy vehicle with wide smooth drums that flattens and hardens road surfaces

roller bit
  • Specialized
8.4

A drill part with hard turning wheels that cut through rock

3.0

A window covering made of fabric that moves up and down to block light and give privacy

roller ironer
  • Specialized
7.9

A large machine with a hot roller that irons and dries things like sheets and tablecloths

A roll of cloth used to wrap wounds or support injured body parts

6.5

A long narrow frame with wheels used for training on roads when there is no snow

roller towel
  • Archaic
4.3

A long loop of cloth that turns on a roller for drying hands

A person who prepares and gives medicines, usually a pharmacist

How Acrobatic

roller
  • Specialized
53 9.9

Surface Forms

roller singular
rollers plural

Morphology

roller = roll (semi-transparent) = roll + er

Formed from 'roll' + '-er' where the link to the bird's acrobatic somersaulting is clear but the specific breed name is specialized vocabulary.

Etymology

Roller comes from the simple verb roll and the agent -er, so it means 'one that rolls'. Pigeon rollers are named for their famous trick of doing backward somersaults — they literally 'roll' in the air or on the ground.