[ 'rɒstrəm ]
■ noun ( plural rostra -trə or ~s )
1》 a raised platform on which a person stands to make a public speech, play music, or conduct an orchestra.
↘a similar platform for supporting a film or television camera.
2》 chiefly Zoology a beak-like projection.
Derivatives
rostrate -strət (also rostrated ) adjective ( chiefly Zoology ).
Origin
C16: from L., lit. 'beak'; orig. used to denote an orator's platform in the Forum in Rome, which was decorated with the beaks of captured galleys.