What does roosted mean?
Roosted is the past tense and past participle of roost, a verb chiefly associated with birds or other animals settling on a perch to rest or sleep. The place where this occurs may itself be called a roost, and the verb can describe anything that settles down for the night, although such literal use is less common with people. Roosting often implies a recurring or temporary resting place rather than simply sitting briefly. The expression “come home to roost” extends the word into figurative English, meaning that the consequences of someone’s actions eventually return to affect them. In ordinary use, “the birds roosted in the trees” is more specific than saying merely that they “rested” there because it evokes their habitual nightly shelter. Roosted is therefore especially useful when describing animal behaviour, seasonal movement, or the occupation of a protected overnight hiding place.
verbPast tense and past participle of roost: to perch or settle somewhere, especially to rest or sleep for the night.
- Settled or perched somewhere to rest, especially for the night.
"The swallows roosted beneath the eaves until morning."
"Several bats roosted in the cave during the day."
"The migrating birds roosted in the shelter until sunrise."
A familiar proverb says that bad behaviour eventually comes home to roost, just as a bird returns to its regular perch.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does roosted come from?
The word is established in Middle English, while its deeper origin is uncertain. The related noun “roost” comes from the same vocabulary and originally referred to a perch or resting place used by birds.
Related word forms
How roosted is actually used
The word is most often used of birds and other animals, but it can also describe people settling in a place for the night. It is usually intransitive and carries a slightly traditional or descriptive tone.
Easily confused with roosted
Roosted usually refers to settling down to rest or sleep for the night, whereas lodged can mean staying temporarily in a lodging or being officially received.