# Ross
## English
### Alternative forms

* (Scottish surname): Rosse

### Etymology

* As a Scottish surname, from several places such as Roose in Cumbria or Roos in Yorkshire, both from Scottish Gaelic ros (“promontory”) or a Brythonic parallel of its source such as Welsh rhos (“moor, heath”). There were also several Norman families in Scotland who took their name from Rots in Calvados. Compare Rose, Rhodes.
* As an English surname, from Wrose in Shipley, with loss of initial w.
* As an English and German surname, from derivatives of the old Germanic root common in names *hrōþi (“fame”). Compare Rossell.
* As a Cornish surname, from several places in Cornwall deriving from ros (“heathland”), related to the above Celtic word meaning "heath" or "promontory." See Rouse.
* As a Jewish and German occupational surname for a breeder of horses, from the regional/poetic noun Ross (“horse”).
* Also as a Jewish surname, Americanized from Rose.

### Pronunciation

* (General American) IPA: /ɹɔs/
* (cot–caught merger) IPA: /ɹɑs/
* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ɹɒs/
* Audio (Southern England):(file)
* Rhymes: -ɒs

### Proper noun

Ross (plural Rosses)
* An English and Scottish habitational surname from Scottish Gaelic derived from any of several places of that name, from Scottish Gaelic ros (“headland”).
* A male given name transferred from the surname, of early 19th century and later usage.
** 2025 January 20, Jacob Sullum, “Why Trump Should Keep His Promise To Free Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht”, in Reason‎:In addition to many other things he has promised to do on his first day in office, Donald Trump has said he will free Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who is serving a life sentence in federal prison for connecting drug consumers with drug sellers.
* A number of places in the United States:
** A town in Marin County, California.
** A city and village in North Dakota.
** A census-designated place in Ohio.
** A city and town in Texas.
** A town in Wisconsin.
** A number of townships in the United States, listed under Ross Township.
* A small town in the West Coast region, South Island, New Zealand.

### See also

* Easter Ross
* New Ross
* Ross and Cromarty
* Ross County
* Ross Dependency
* Ross Island
* Ross-on-Wye
* Ross Sea
* Ross-shire
* South Ross
* Wester Ross

### References

* ↑ Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Ross”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 3, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN.
* ↑ NZ Topo Map

### Anagrams

* RSOs, SROs, sors

## Alemannic German
### Etymology

From Middle High German ros (“horse”), from Old High German ros, hros (“horse”), from Proto-West Germanic *hross (“horse”).

### Noun

Ross n
* (Uri) horse

#### Synonyms

* Kawall

### References

* Abegg, Emil, (1911) Die Mundart von Urseren (Beiträge zur Schweizerdeutschen Grammatik. IV.) [The Dialect of Urseren], Frauenfeld, Switzerland: Huber & Co.

## German
### Alternative forms

* Roß (superseded)

### Etymology

From Middle High German ros (“horse”), from Old High German ros, hros (“horse”), from Proto-West Germanic *hross.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ʁɔs/
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -ɔs
* Hyphenation: Ross

### Noun

Ross n (strong, genitive Rosses, plural Rosse or Rösser, diminutive Rösschen n or Rösslein n or Rösserl n or Rössal n or Rössel n)
* (regional or higher register) horse
    Synonym: Pferd
** 1876, Richard Wagner, Siegfried, Act 3, Scene 3:... Dort seh’ ich Grane, mein selig Roß: \ wie weidet er munter der mit mir schlief! \ Mit mir hat ihn Siegfried erweckt. — Richard Wagner, Siegfried, Dritter Aufzug, Dritte Szene.I see Grane there, my trusty steed: \ how happily he grazes, he who was asleep like me! \ Siegfried woke him along with me.
** 1914, His Majesty the Emperor of Germany Wilhelm II, An das Deutsche Volk
    Wir werden uns wehren bis zum letzten Hauch von Mann und Roß(please add an English translation of this quotation)
** 2001, “Rein raus”, performed by Rammstein:Ich bin der Reiter / Du bist das Ross / Ich hab den Schlüssel / Du hast das Schloß / Die Tür geht auf / Ich trete ein / Das Leben kann so prachtvoll seinI am the rider / You are the horse / I have the key / You have the castle / The door opens / I enter / Life can be so gorgeous
* (regional, derogatory) stupid person, moron

#### Usage notes

* Ross is a normal word for “horse”, alongside Pferd, in many parts of southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In northern and central Germany, Ross is perceived as being used in an elevated style, but even in a humoristic way.
* The plurals Rosse and Rösser are equally acceptable and roughly equally common, though the former is traditionally preferred in written standard German.

#### Declension

$^1$Now rare, see notes.

#### Coordinate terms

Chess pieces in German · Schachfiguren, Schachsteine (layout · text) :
| König | Dame, Königin | Turm | Läufer | Springer, Pferd, Ross, Rössel | Bauer |

#### Derived terms

* Dampfross
* Feuerross
* hohes Ross
* Kampfross
* Ross und Reiter
* Ross und Reiter nennen
* Rosskastanie
* Rosskur
* Schlachtross
* Stahlross
* Streitross

#### Related terms

* Walross (originally from North Germanic)

#### See also

* Einhufer, Gaul, Klepper, Pferd, Reitpferd

### Further reading

* “Ross” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
* “Ross” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
* “Ross” in Duden online
* Ross on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia $^{de}$

## Hunsrik
### Etymology

Borrowed from Brazilian Portuguese roça.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈros/
* Rhymes: -os
* Syllabification: Ross

### Noun

Ross f (plural Rosse)
* countryside

### References

* ↑ Piter Kehoma Boll (2021) “Ross”, in Dicionário Hunsriqueano Riograndense–Português (in Portuguese), 3rd edition, Ivoti: Riograndenser Hunsrickisch, page 135, column 2