# "Cheer" = "Root" ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheer-root/85989>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 7, 2001, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheer-root/85989 "2001-10-07T21:36:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheer-root/85989/1 "2001-10-07T21:36:40Z")

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My dad was wondering about this earlier today while we were watching a football game.

How did the word “root” acquire its meaning as a synonym for “cheer”? We can say “I’m cheering for this team” and “I’m rooting for this team” and have it be the same thing. How can a word like root get this kind of meaning?

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**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheer-root/85989/2 "2001-10-07T21:41:38Z")

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It doesn’t have the same meaning in Australia…

In fact, to say you’re “rooting” for the team is bound to bring some stifled giggles.

Australians “barrack” for teams. I’ve never heard that word in use in the US.

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**Author:** ![atypicalcarl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@atypicalcarl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atypicalcarl)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheer-root/85989/3 "2001-10-07T21:42:48Z")

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My American Heritage say it’s probably an alteration of the word **rout** - meaning, “to make a loud noise or clamor.”

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheer-root/85989/4 "2001-10-08T01:13:06Z")

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Chambers, in his _Dictionary of Etymology_ says:

Verb, "Cheer or support a contestant, etc. 1889, American English; probably derived from earlier sense of root(verb), to study or work hard(1856).

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**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheer-root/85989/5 "2001-10-08T02:27:10Z")

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C’mon **Cazzle** , we Aussies are more mature than to giggle at such thi… ppffffffft! 😃

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheer-root/85989/6 "2001-10-08T02:45:10Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by atypicalcarl \*  
> \*\*My American Heritage say it’s probably an alteration of the word **rout** - meaning, “to make a loud noise or clamor.” \*\*

Perhaps the Canadians are responsible for changing rout to “root” 🙂

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**Author:** ![atypicalcarl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@atypicalcarl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atypicalcarl)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheer-root/85989/7 "2001-10-08T03:07:52Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Skogcat \*  
> \*\*Perhaps the Canadians are responsible for changing rout to “root” 🙂 \*\*

I have no idea what you’re talking aboot.

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**Author:** ![Mersavets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@Mersavets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mersavets)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheer-root/85989/8 "2001-10-08T06:41:23Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by cazzle \*  
> \*\*Australians “barrack” for teams. I’ve never heard that word in use in the US. \*\*

That is the case in Victoria but I’m not sure about other parts of the country. Originally, barrack meant the opposite; to disparage and jeer. I’ve heard some sporting venues in Britain have signs saying, “Please, no barracking”…