roué \(ˈ)rü|ā\noun (-s) Etymology: French, literally broken on the wheel, from past participle of rouer to break on the wheel, from Medieval Latin rotare, from Latin, to rotate; from the feeling that such a person deserved this punishment — more at rotate : a man devoted to a life of sensual pleasure especially in his relations with women : debauchee, rake < an elderly roué … had invited her to call him Daddy — Jean Stafford >