roaster

English

Etymology

From Middle English roster, roostare, equivalent to roast +‎ -er (agent noun suffix) or +‎ -er (patient suffix). Same formation as roster, although the words have very different meanings.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

roaster (plural roasters)

1. Someone who roasts coffee beans; a company or place of business that does so.

   Synonym: (company or place of business) roastery

   Several artisanal roasters are operating in the region now.

2. A machine for roasting things; especially, one that roasts coffee beans.

   Hyponym: corn roaster

   Coordinate terms: toaster, fryer, air fryer

   They've invested in large roasters with impressive stainless steel parts.

3. (cooking) A kitchen utensil used for roasting.

   Synonyms: roasting tin, roasting pan

   Coordinate terms: stewer, Dutch oven, saucepan

   I found a really nice roaster in the kitchenware aisle, plus a bamboo cutting board.

4. A chicken, pig, etc. suitable for roasting.

   Coordinate terms: broiler, fryer, layer, stewer

   I found a really nice roaster in the meat department, and I'm going to make some stuffing for it, too.

   • 2009, Jeffrey Ross, I Only Roast the Ones I Love: Busting Balls Without Burning Bridges:

     There is nothing I would like more than for a young wise guy or wise gal to study my teachings and learn from my experiences in order to become America's next great roaster.

5. Someone who roasts food.

   Hank is just about everyone's favorite pig roaster around here. He stays pretty busy with block parties, weddings, and reunions.

   • 2011, Ruth A. Johnston, All Things Medieval: An Encyclopedia of the Medieval World:

     […] they [professional cooks] had as many as 25 helpers, such as saucerers, larders, roasters, pottagers, bakers, spicers, and fruiterers, not to mention spit turners and scullions.

6. A type of industrial furnace; especially, one that roasts ore.

   Having been dumped out of the mine cars, the ore then moves along a conveyor to the roaster.

7. One who roasts or banters, especially as a comedy routine.

   He does standup, and he's a pretty good roaster.

9. (planetology, informal) An epistellar gas giant exoplanet.

   Hyponyms: hot Jupiter, hot Neptune

   Some of the earliest discoveries of exoplanets were roasters because they are the least difficult to detect.

10. (Scotland, slang, derogatory) An objectionable person; somebody making a fool of themselves.

    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:idiot, Thesaurus:jerk

    Person A: Oh look, he's at it again. Person B: What a roaster.

Derived terms

• corn roaster
• candy roaster

Anagrams

• Serrato, Traores, reroast, roarest