roke

R1O1K5E1
/ɹəʊk/

noun

Fog, mist; light rain; smoke, vapour; damp.

OriginMiddle English roke ← Old Norse roka ← Middle Dutch roke →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

roke1

nounroke (countable and uncountable, plural rokes)

plural rokes · alternative roak · alternative rook · alternative rouk

  1. UKcountabledialectaluncountableFog, mist; light rain; smoke, vapour; damp.

roke2

nounroke (plural rokes)

plural rokes · alternative roak · alternative rook · alternative rouk

  1. A defect in an ingot of steel: a depression lined with scale.

    It was found by examination of numerous sections of roky shell that it was not possible to estimate the extent of a roke by its appearance on the surface. The filing of a groove across the roke gives some […] indication as to its depth, […]

    1921, Iron & Coal Trades Review, volume 103, page 337
  2. UKdialectalbusinessA measurement of coal ore.

    In 1450 certain lands at Codnor were exchanged subject to the condition that one of the parites should receive yearly three roke of coal if any 'myne of cole' were got.

    1907, William Page, The Victoria History of the County of Derby - Volume 2, page 351
    2 more examples

    of which custom the aforesaid John Parlby being not in the least ignorant, on the 20th day of Jun, in the second year of the reign of our Lord the present King, at the same pit, received and had a whole roke of coals, value 18d., by the delivery of the said Richard, together with a sign for one whole roke, according to the custom aforesaid;

    1889, “Action for Breach of a Custom observed in delivering Coal at Wollaton Pit, 1549, April 1”, in Records of the Borough of Nottingham: 1547-1625, page 11

    Account of coal getting, from 13 February to 24 December, 17 Henry VIII., giving the quantity got by each collier week by week, in the following form: “ L. Lambe gatt xiii roke

    1924, The Mining Engineer - Volumes 66-67, page 226

Origin

roke · noun

  1. Proto-Indo-European*rewg-“to erupt, vomit, burp”
  2. Proto-Germanic*raukiz“smoke”
  3. Old Dutchrouc“steam, vapour”
  4. Middle Dutchroke
  5. Old Norseroka
  6. Middle Englishroke“fog, vapour, cloud”
  7. Englishroke

From Middle English roke (“fog, vapour, cloud”), probably from Old Norse roka ("whirlwind, fine spray"; compare Old Norse særoka (“seaspray”)), reinforced later by Middle Dutch roke, rooc (“smoke”), from Old Dutch rouc (“steam, vapour”), from Proto-Germanic *raukiz (“smoke”), from Proto-Indo-European *rewg- (“to erupt, vomit, burp”), from *rew- (“to roar, growl, grumble”). Cognate with Scots rok, roik, rouk (“mist, fog, cloud”), Dutch rook (“smoke, fog”), German Rauch (“smoke, fume”), Swedish rök (“smoke, fume, steam, reek”), West Frisian reek, riik (“smoke, fume”). More at reek. Compare dialectal rawk, which is related, and rag (“fog”) (see raggy (“foggy”)), which may or may not be.

More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Middle Dutch

Full word history & related roots →

roke · noun

Unclear; perhaps related to dialect rauk, rawk, a northern English dialectal word for a mark, including e.g. a defect on cloth.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with roke

oaksmokefolkspokebrokejokeloccokestokekochbaroquesoakcloakchokerevokebespokeyokeprovokeevokeblokecoqyolkhoketoke
All rhymes →

Anagrams

koreokerkero
Cite this entry
APA

roke. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/roke

MLA

“roke.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/roke. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “roke,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/roke.

Source: roke on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.