English dictionary

roughage Meaning & Definition

/ˈɹʌfɪd͡ʒ/

What Does Roughage Mean?

As a noun, roughage means Originally , garbage, rubbish, or waste; later the portions of a crop which are discarded, such as husks, stalks, etc.; also, agricultural waste such as weeds. It is also used to mean Coarse or rough plant material such as hay and silage used as animal fodder.

Roughage at a Glance

Part of speech	noun
Pronunciation	/ˈɹʌfɪd͡ʒ/
Plural	roughages

Roughage Definition (Noun)

Originally , garbage, rubbish, or waste; later the portions of a crop which are discarded, such as husks, stalks, etc.; also, agricultural waste such as weeds.
Coarse or rough plant material such as hay and silage used as animal fodder.
Substances, generally of plant origin, consisting mostly of complex carbohydrates which are undigested when eaten by humans, and which therefore help the passage of food and waste through the alimentary tract; dietary fibre.

Noun

Dietary fibre
Any rough or coarse material, especially fodder

Synonyms of Roughage

The source does not list synonyms for this entry.

Roughage synonyms and antonyms →

Word Forms & Grammar

roughage (countable and uncountable, plural roughages)

Origin of Roughage

From rough (“not smooth; crude, unrefined”) +‎ -age (suffix forming nouns with the sense of appurtenance or collection).[1]