A roster is an official list of people, such as players on a team, employees at a workplace, or participants in an event. It can also include their assigned duties or schedule.
From Dutch *rooster* “grid, list,” originally referring to a grid-like table used for schedules. It entered English in the 18th century, especially in military and organizational contexts.
The word roster traces back to a grid, which makes sense—names and shifts lined up in neat rows. Sports teams borrowed it so that a simple list of players could feel official, almost like a battlefield lineup.
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