rostrum

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ros=trum

CIDE DICTIONARY

rostrum, n. [L., beak, ship's beak, fr. rodere, rosum, to gnaw. See Rodent.].

•  The beak or head of a ship.  [1913 Webster]
•  The Beaks; the stage or platform in the forum where orations, pleadings, funeral harangues, etc., were delivered; -- so called because after the Latin war, it was adorned with the beaks of captured vessels; later, applied also to other platforms erected in Rome for the use of public orators.  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, a stage for public speaking; the pulpit or platform occupied by an orator or public speaker.  [1913 Webster]

  "Myself will mount the rostrum in his favor."  [1913 Webster]
•  Any beaklike prolongation, esp. of the head of an animal, as the beak of birds.  [1913 Webster]
•  Same as Rostellum.  [1913 Webster]
•  The pipe to convey the distilling liquor into its receiver in the common alembic.  Quincy.  [1913 Webster]
•  A pair of forceps of various kinds, having a beaklike form.  Coxe.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

rostrum, n. (pl. rostra or rostrums)
1 a a platform for public speaking. b a conductor's platform facing the orchestra. c a similar platform for other purposes, e.g. for supporting a film or television camera.
2 Zool. & Bot. a beak, stiff snout, or beaklike part, esp. of an insect or arachnid.
3 Rom. Antiq. the beak of a war-galley.

Derivative

(all in sense 2) rostrate adj. rostriferous adj. rostriform adj.

Etymology

L, = beak f. rodere ros- gnaw: orig. rostra (pl., in sense 1a) in the Roman forum adorned with beaks of captured galleys

DEVIL DICTIONARY

rostrum

n. In Latin, the beak of a bird or the prow of a ship. In America, a place from which a candidate for office energetically expounds the wisdom, virtue and power of the rabble.

THESAURUS

rostrum

ambo, antlia, balcony, beak, beezer, bill, bow, bowsprit, bugle, catafalque, conk, dais, desk, emplacement, estrade, figurehead, floor, forecastle, foredeck, forepeak, gallery, heliport, hustings, jib boom, landing, landing pad, landing stage, launching pad, lectern, muffle, muzzle, nares, neb, nib, nose, nostrils, nozzle, olfactory organ, pecker, platform, podium, proboscis, prore, prow, pulpit, reading desk, rhinarium, schnozzle, smeller, snoot, snout, soapbox, stage, stand, stem, step terrace, stump, terrace, tribunal, tribune, trunk

ROGET THESAURUS

rostrum

Front

N front, fore, forepart, foreground, face, disk, disc, frontage, facade, proscenium, facia, frontispiece, anteriority, obverse (of a medal or coin), fore rank, front rank, van, vanguard, advanced guard, outpost, first line, scout, brow, forehead, visage, physiognomy, phiz, countenance, mut, rostrum, beak, bow, stem, prow, prore, jib, pioneer, metoposcopy, fore, anterior, front, frontal, before, in front, in the van, in advance, ahead, right ahead, forehead, foremost, in the foreground, in the lee of, before one's face, before one's eyes, face to face, vis-a-vis, front a front, formosa muta commendatio est, frons est animi janua, Human face divine, imago animi vultus est indices oculi, sea of upturned faces.

School

N school, academy, university, alma mater, college, seminary, Lyceum, institute, institution, palaestra, Gymnasium, class, seminar, day school, boarding school, preparatory school, primary school, infant school, dame's school, grammar school, middle class school, Board school, denominational school, National school, British and Foreign school, collegiate school, art school, continuation school, convent school, County Council school, government school, grant-in-aid school, high school, higher grade school, military school, missionary school, naval school, naval academy, state-aided school, technical school, voluntary school, school, school of art, kindergarten, nursery, creche, reformatory, pulpit, lectern, soap box desk, reading desk, ambo, lecture room, theater, auditorium, amphitheater, forum, state, rostrum, platform, hustings, tribune, school book, horn book, text book, grammar, primer, abecedary, rudiments, manual, vade mecum, encyclopedia, cyclopedia, Lindley Murray, Cocker, dictionary, lexicon, professorship, lectureship, readership, fellowship, tutorship, chair, School Board Council of Education, Board of Education, Board of Studies, Prefect of Studies, Textbook Committee, propaganda, scholastic, academic, collegiate, educational, ex cathedra.