groom

play

noun \ ˈgrüm , ˈgru̇m \

Definition of groom

1 archaic :man, fellow

2 a (1) archaic :manservant

(2) :one of several officers of the English royal household

b :a person responsible for the feeding, exercising, and stabling of horses

3 :bridegroom

See groom defined for English-language learners

See groom defined for kids

Recent Examples of groom from the Web

Groom foliage plants growing outdoors for an improved appearance.

— tom maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "September in the garden," 26 Aug. 2017
Workers inspect the rug and groom it, before a machine wraps it in brown paper.

— kimberly fornek, chicagotribune.com, "Hinsdale business has been cleaning rugs for more than 100 years," 21 Aug. 2017
The same website has a page showing a bride and groom under an oak laden with Spanish moss, promoting the venue as a prime spot for class reunions, conferences and weddings.

— katherine sayre, NOLA.com, "'The incredible shrinking airline seat' under court-ordered scrutiny: report," 30 July 2017
Guo Xin might be working on a Mustang in his car repair shop in Beijing, while in England, a happy bride and groom drive off in a Mustang GT California Special.

— Bloomberg.com, "The World Loves the Ford Mustang (Even if the U.S. Doesn’t)," 27 July 2017
For groom Lucia Burton, polo isn't always glamorous people in garden attire sipping cocktails on the polo field sidelines.

— elisabeth moughon, The Courier-Journal, "An elegant, nitty-gritty look at the Louisville Polo Club," 27 July 2017
In fact, the average bride and groom in the UK date for 4.9 years before getting married.

— carly breit, Country Living, "This Is How Long the Average Couple Dates Before Getting Married," 26 July 2017
The spot shows a bride being poked and prodded by her groom's mother, calling to mind a car inspection.

— claire zillman, Fortune, "The World’s Most Powerful Women: July 20," 19 July 2017
According to Laura Holson of The New York Times, who toured the property with Trump’s son Eric, Mr. Trump is a selling point for prospective brides and grooms considering holding their weddings at the club.

— jeremy venook, The Atlantic, "Trump’s Interests vs. America’s, Vancouver Edition," 13 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'groom.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of groom

Middle English grom

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Animal Husbandry Terms

apiary, bantam, calico, girth, hogwash, mast, rut

groom

verb

Definition of groom

transitive verb

1 :to clean and maintain the appearance of (an animal); especially :to maintain the health and condition of the coat of (a horse, dog, etc.) by brushing, combing, currying, or similar attention

2 :to make neat or attractive

an impeccably groomed woman

3 :to get into readiness for a specific objective :prepare

was being groomed as a presidential candidate

intransitive verb

:to groom oneself

See groom defined for English-language learners

Examples of groom in a Sentence

The horses are being groomed for the competition.
She spent hours grooming herself.
She always seems to be perfectly groomed and neatly dressed.
He is being groomed to take over the company.

Recent Examples of groom from the Web

Suu Kyi has expelled dissident party members, neglected to groom successors, spoken rarely to the press and apparently made command decisions rather than seeking help from capable advisers.

— Washington Post, "Former loyalists lose faith in Myanmar’s democracy icon," 28 Aug. 2017
Previous backup quarterbacks in the Reid era, guys such as Chase Daniel and Nick Foles, weren’t being groomed as Smith’s successor.

— blair kerkhoff, kansascity, "As Patrick Mahomes settles in, a little discomfort is serving Chiefs’ Alex Smith well," 21 Aug. 2017
I was definitely groomed from birth by my mother, aunts and countless maternal figures on how to eat, wash, and care for my skin.

— nuy cho, Redbook, "12 Korean Beauty Hacks For Flawless Skin," 18 Aug. 2017
Kesha’s music was powered by the backbeat of Dr. Luke, a producer who’d helped set the template for 2000 club-pop and who’d been groomed by Max Martin, the most important architect of hits for a few decades now.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Kesha Returns as Human, Not Superhero," 10 Aug. 2017
P&G cut grooming unit prices 4 percent in the fourth quarter as part of a realignment announced early this year.

— alexander coolidge, Cincinnati.com, "P&G CEO rips hedge fund leader Peltz for joining forces with former exec," 31 July 2017
Following in his father’s footsteps, the younger Sulzberger has been working as deputy publisher since last October, after being groomed in the newsroom for a few years.

— joe pompeo, The Hive, "The Agony and the Anxiety of The New York Times," 24 July 2017
The spa for canines and cats is called Wag N' Wash Food & Bakery, a franchised chain that will offer retail and grooming services at the site near Westport Village.

— sheldon s. shafer, The Courier-Journal, "Want to pamper your pet? New spa, buffet opening soon in Louisville," 12 July 2017
According to my uncle, by 1948, my grandfather was an elite member of the KMT Youth League, being groomed for initiation into higher political circles, namely, that of President Chiang Kai-shek.

— karissa chen, Longreads, "My Grandfather’s Fateful Goodbye, Reimagined," 8 July 2017

First Known Use of groom

1809

groom Synonyms

Synonyms

fit, fix, prepare, lay, prep, ready

Related Words

brace, fortify, gird, steel; batten, gather, gear up, mount; educate, indoctrinate, instruct, school, train, tutor; boot (up), prime; arrange, set, spread; arm, equip, forearm, furnish, outfit, provide, supply; incline, predispose; draft, draw up, frame; warm (up)

GROOM Defined for English Language Learners

groom

play

noun

Definition of groom for English Language Learners

: a man who has just married or is about to be married
: a person who takes care of horses

groom

verb

Definition of groom for English Language Learners

: to clean and care for (an animal)
: to make (someone) neat and attractive
: to make (something) neat, smooth, or attractive

GROOM Defined for Kids

groom

play

noun \ ˈgrüm \

Definition of groom for Students

1 :a man who has just been or is about to be married

2 :a person in charge of horses

groom

verb

Definition of groom for Students

groomed; grooming

1 :to make neat and attractive

groom a dog

2 :to prepare for a purpose

His family is grooming him to take over their business.

Learn More about groom

See words that rhyme with groom Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for groom Spanish Central: Translation of groom Nglish: Translation of groom for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of groom for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about groom

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Origin and Etymology of groom

Other Animal Husbandry Terms

groom

Definition of groom

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Recent Examples of groom from the Web

First Known Use of groom

groom Synonyms

Synonyms

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GROOM Defined for English Language Learners

groom

Definition of groom for English Language Learners

groom

Definition of groom for English Language Learners

GROOM Defined for Kids

groom

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groom

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