Roster Comes From a Gridiron
A roster is a list of names and duties. The Dutch word means a grid, from the ruled lines of the list.
A roster is a list of people and their duties. The name comes from the layout: Dutch *rooster* means a gridiron or grate, and the ruled grid of a duty list looked like one. The Dutch word still means both a grill and a timetable, which makes the connection clearer than it is in English.
- A duty list. *The staff roster.*
- A team list. *The full roster.*
- To schedule. *Rostered for nights.*
- Rota — the British synonym. *A cleaning rota.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | roster | A duty roster. |
| Plural | rosters | Two rosters. |
| Verb | roster | Rostered on. |
| British | rota | On the rota. |
| Dutch | rooster | Dutch *rooster*. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Roster means a gridiron in Dutch.From the ruled lines.
- Rota is the British equivalent.From Latin for a wheel.
- Rostered on for the weekend.Scheduled.
Roster or rota
- Roster — from Dutch, meaning a grid
- Rota — from Latin *rota*, a wheel, implying turns coming round
- American usage — roster, including for team lists
- British usage — rota for domestic and workplace turns
- Both — describe an organised sequence of duties
From Dutch *rooster*, a gridiron or list, from the ruled lines. *Rota* comes from Latin *rota*, a wheel.
Roster or rota?
Roster is American and used for team lists. Rota is British and implies duties coming round in turn, from the Latin for a wheel.
Why does the Dutch word mean a grill?
Because a gridiron is a grid of bars, and the ruled lines of a duty list looked the same.