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rostrum

Syllabification: (ros·trum)

Pronunciation: /ˈrästrəm, ˈrô-/

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Definition of rostrum

noun (plural rostra /ˈrästrə, ˈrô-/ or rostrums)

1a raised platform on which a person stands to make a public speech, receive an award or medal, play music, or conduct an orchestra.
a platform for supporting a movie or television camera.

2chiefly Zoology a beaklike projection, especially a stiff snout or anterior prolongation of the head in an insect, crustacean, or cetacean.

Derivatives

rostrate: rostrum (sense 2).

Origin:

mid 16th century: from Latin, literally 'beak' (from rodere 'gnaw'). The word was originally used (at first in the plural rostra) to denote part of the Forum in Rome, which was decorated with the beaks of captured galleys, and was used as a platform for public speakers

rostrum in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of rostrum in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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