roger
- 01 B1 Intermediate
interj.you say this on a radio or walkie-talkie to show you have heard and understood a message.
interj.a procedural word used in radiotelephony to acknowledge that a transmission has been received and understood.
Simple“"Roger that, we are heading to your location now," the pilot replied.”
In context“The ground crew confirmed the coordinates with a crisp "roger" before initiating the final approach sequence.”
UsageOften followed by 'that' in modern informal speech, though 'roger' alone is the standard radio procedure.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to say 'roger' to someone to show you understand them.
v.to acknowledge a message or instruction by using the term 'roger'.
Simple“The captain rogered the instructions and adjusted the ship's course.”
In context“After the dispatcher rogered the emergency call, backup units were immediately diverted to the scene.”
UsageTransitive verb taking the message or the speaker as the object.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
v.a very rude and old-fashioned British word for having sex.
v.to engage in sexual intercourse. The term is highly informal and carries a coarse, aggressive, or vulgar connotation.
Simple“He made a crude joke about rogering someone he met at the pub.”
In context“The character in the bawdy eighteenth-century novel was frequently described as rogering his way across the countryside.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is specific to British English and is considered very offensive or crude in polite company; learners should avoid using it.
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.the word used for the letter 'R' when spelling things out over a radio.
n.the phonetic code word for the letter 'R' in older radiotelephony alphabets, now largely replaced by 'Romeo'.
Simple“In the old code, the initials were 'Roger' and 'Sugar'.”
In context“The veteran operator still used 'Roger' for 'R' out of habit, despite the adoption of the modern NATO phonetic alphabet.”
UsageUsed as a proper noun in the context of spelling codes.
From Old French Rogier, from the Frankish equivalent of Old English Hrōþgār (see Hroðgar), from Proto-Germanic *Hrōþigaizaz (“fame-spear”). Compare also Rutger.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.