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roulette Meaning & Definition

/ɹuːˈlɛt/

What Does Roulette Mean?

As a noun, roulette means A game of chance in which a small ball is made to move round rapidly on a circle divided off into numbered (usually red and black) spaces. When the ball stops, it indicates the result of a variety of wagers permitted by the game. It is also used to mean An instance of risk-taking, especially when the downside exceeds the upside (contrary to the game of roulette where only the wager is lost). As a verb, it means To separate or decorate by incisions made with a small toothed wheel.

Quick Facts About Roulette

Part of speechnoun, verb
Pronunciation/ɹuːˈlɛt/
Synonymsline roulette and toothed wheel
Pluralroulettes
Verb formsroulettes, rouletting, rouletted

Roulette Definition (Noun)

  1. A game of chance in which a small ball is made to move round rapidly on a circle divided off into numbered (usually red and black) spaces. When the ball stops, it indicates the result of a variety of wagers permitted by the game.
  2. An instance of risk-taking, especially when the downside exceeds the upside (contrary to the game of roulette where only the wager is lost).
  3. A small toothed wheel used by engravers to roll over a plate in order to produce rows of dots.
  4. A similar wheel used to roughen the surface of a plate, as in making alterations in a mezzotint.
  5. The locus of a point on a plane curve that rolls without slipping along another fixed plane curve.
  6. Any of the small incisions on a sheet of stamps, used as an alternative to perforations.
  7. A cylindrical curler for the hair.

Roulette as a Verb

  1. To separate or decorate by incisions made with a small toothed wheel.

    to roulette a sheet of postage stamps

Synonyms of Roulette

Roulette synonyms and antonyms →

Roulette in a Sentence

to roulette a sheet of postage stamps

Word Forms & Grammar

roulette (countable and uncountable, plural roulettes)

roulette (third-person singular simple present roulettes, present participle rouletting, simple past and past participle rouletted)

Words That Rhyme With Roulette

Origin of Roulette

Borrowed from French roulette (“roulette, little wheel”). The sense "situation with a random chance of incurring serious harm" may be abstracted from Russian roulette.

Frequently Asked Questions About Roulette

Is roulette a noun or a verb?

Roulette is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.

What is another word for roulette?

You can replace roulette with words such as line roulette and toothed wheel. See the full list of roulette synonyms and antonyms.

What is the plural of roulette?

The plural of roulette is roulettes.

What is the past tense of roulette?

The past tense of roulette is rouletted. The present participle is rouletting.

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