any platform, stage, or the like, for public speaking.
2.
a pulpit.
3.
a beaklike projection from the prow of a ship, esp. one on an ancient warship for ramming an enemy ship; beak; ram.
4.
Roman Antiquity. (in the forum) the raised platform, adorned with the beaks of captured warships, from which orations, pleadings, etc., were delivered.
5.
Biology. a beaklike process or extension of some part; rostellum.
6.
British Theater. a raised platform or dais, esp. one with hinged sides that can be folded and stored within a relatively small space.
[Origin: 1570–80; < L rōstrum snout, bill, beak of a bird, ship's prow (in pl., speaker's platform), equiv. to rōd(ere) to gnaw, bite (cf. rodent) + -trum instrumental suffix, with dt > st]
1542, from L. rostrum, name of the platform stand for public speakers in the Forum in ancient Rome. It was decorated with the beaks of ships taken in the first naval victory of the Roman republic, over Antium, in 338 B.C.E., and the word's older sense is "end of a ship's prow," lit. "beak, muzzle, snout," originally "means of gnawing," instrument noun form of rodere "to gnaw" (see rodent). Cf. claustrum "lock, bar," from claudere "to shut." Extended sense of any platform for public speaking is first recorded 1766. Plural form is rostra.
Main Entry: ros·trum Pronunciation: 'räs-tr&m also 'ros- Function: noun Inflected Form: pluralrostrumsorros·tra/-tr&/ : a bodily part or process suggesting a bird's bill: as a: the reflected anterior portion of the corpus callosum below the
genu b: the interior median spine of the body of the basisphenoid bone articulating with the vomer
La*mel`li*ros"tres\, n. pl. [NL. See Lamella, and Rostrum.] (Zo["o]l.) A group of birds embracing the Anseres and flamingoes, in which the bill is lamellate.
Ro"dent\, a. [L. rodens, -entis, p. pr. of rodere to gnaw. See Rase, v. t., and cf. Rostrum.]1. Gnawing; biting; corroding; (Med.) applied to a destructive variety of cancer or ulcer. 2. (Zo["o]l.) (a) Gnawing. (b) Of or pertaining to the Rodentia.
Ros"trate\, Rostrated \Ros"tra*ted\, a. [L. rostratus, fr. rostrum a beak. See Rostrum.]1. Having a process resembling the beak of a bird; beaked; rostellate. 2. Furnished or adorned with beaks; as, rostrated galleys.
Ros"trum\ (-tr[u^]m), n.; pl. L. Rostra, E. Rostrums. [L., beak, ship's beak, fr. rodere, rosum, to gnaw. See Rodent.]1. The beak or head of a ship. 2. pl. (Rostra) (Rom. Antiq.) The Beaks; the stage or platform in the forum where orations, pleadings, funeral harangues, etc., were delivered; -- so called because after the Latin war, it was adorned with the beaks of captured vessels; later, applied also to other platforms erected in Rome for the use of public orators. 3. Hence, a stage for public speaking; the pulpit or platform occupied by an orator or public speaker. Myself will mount the rostrum in his favor. --Addison. 4. (Zo["o]l.) (a) Any beaklike prolongation, esp. of the head of an animal, as the beak of birds. (b) The beak, or sucking mouth parts, of Hemiptera. (c) The snout of a gastropod mollusk. See Illust. of Littorina. (d) The anterior, often spinelike, prolongation of the carapace of a crustacean, as in the lobster and the prawn. 5. (Bot.) Same as Rostellum. 6. (Old Chem.) The pipe to convey the distilling liquor into its receiver in the common alembic. --Quincy. 7. (Surg.) A pair of forceps of various kinds, having a beaklike form. [Obs.] --Coxe.
Snout\ (snout), n. [OE. snoute, probably of Scand, or Low German origin; cf. LG. snute, D. snuit, G. schnauze, Sw. snut, snyte, Dan. snude, Icel. sn?ta to blow the nose; probably akin to E. snuff, v.t. Cf. Snite, Snot, Snuff.]1. The long, projecting nose of a beast, as of swine. 2. The nose of a man; -- in contempt. --Hudibras. 3. The nozzle of a pipe, hose, etc. 4. (Zo["o]l.) (a) The anterior prolongation of the head of a gastropod; -- called also rostrum. (b) The anterior prolongation of the head of weevils and allied beetles. Snout beetle (Zo["o]l.), any one of many species of beetles having an elongated snout and belonging to the tribe Rhynchophora; a weevil. Snout moth (Zo["o]l.), any pyralid moth. See Pyralid.
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