In Catholic churches and possibly others, the communion rail is what is left of the rood screen. It was a separation between the congregation and the altar area of a church.

C. J. W. Winter has written:

'Illustrations of the rood-screen at Ranworth'

Rood has several distinct meanings, all derived from the same basic source of "rood" as an archaic word for "pole", from Anglo-Saxon rōd "pole," specifically "crucifix." In the meaning "crucifix", rood usually refers to a sculpture or painting of the cross with Christ hanging on it. More precisely, "the Rood" refers to the Cross, the specific wooden cross used in Christ's crucifixion. In church architecture a rood screen is a wooden or stone screen, usually separating the chancel or choir from the nave. Rood is an Old English unit of area, equal to quarter of an acre, i.e. 10 890 square feet or 1011.7141056 m². A rectangular area with edges of one furlong and one rod respectively is one rood, as is an area consisting of 40 perches (square rods.) The rood was an important measure in surveying on account of its easy conversion to acres. When referring to areas, rod may be found in old documents and has exactly the same meaning as rood. Rood also refers to a British unit of linear measure between 16.5 and 24 feet. It is related to the German Rute (12.36 to 12.47 feet) and Denmark's rode (12.34 feet)

The homophone of "rood" is "rude."

John Rood was born in 1968.