groom

American  

[groom, groom] / grum, grʊm /

noun

1. a bridegroom.

2. a man or boy in charge of horses or the stable.

3. any of several officers of the English royal household.

4. Archaic. a manservant.

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verb (used with object)

1. to tend carefully as to person and dress; make neat or tidy.

2. to clean, brush, and otherwise tend (a horse, dog, etc.).

3. to prepare (a trail) for a specific use, such as skiing, biking, or hiking.

   The resort is currently grooming 7 miles of cross-country ski trails for your enjoyment this winter.

4. to prepare for a position, election, etc..

   Both of these young goalies are being groomed for roles in the NHL.

5. to condition or manipulate (a victim) emotionally over time, as through friendship, gifts, flattery, etc., in order to entrap the person in a sexually abusive or predatory relationship.

6. (of an animal) to tend (itself or another) by removing dirt, parasites, or specks of other matter from the fur, skin, feathers, etc.: often performed as a social act.

groom British  

/ ɡruːm, ɡrʊm /

noun

1. a person employed to clean and look after horses

2. See bridegroom

3. any of various officers of a royal or noble household

4. archaic a male servant or attendant

5. archaic a young man

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verb

1. to make or keep (clothes, appearance, etc) clean and tidy

2. to rub down, clean, and smarten (a horse, dog, etc)

3. to train or prepare for a particular task, occupation, etc

   to groom someone for the Presidency

4. to win the confidence of (a victim) in order to a commit sexual assault on him or her

Other Word Forms

• groomer noun
• grooming noun
• groomish adjective
• groomishly adverb
• nongrooming adjective
• regroom verb (used with object)
• ungroomed adjective

Etymology

Origin of groom

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English grom, grome, groum “infant boy, boy, youth, groom”; further origin obscure; akin to grow

Explanation

To groom means to take care of the appearance, whether it's plucking eyebrows or combing hair. When you spend over an hour grooming in the bathroom, combing your mustache and buffing your nails, you drive everyone else who needs to use the bathroom crazy. You can groom something besides a person. Resorts groom their golf courses and ski runs. If you own a horse, you groom it every day. Animals groom each other by picking off insects and licking at fur. You can also use groom in regards to the mind. If you are being groomed for a certain spot or position, you are being prepared to take over its activities and responsibilities. Let's hope that you will someday be groomed for a spot on an executive board. And last but not least, the man getting married at a wedding is the groom.

Example Sentences

While they already groom each other to remove debris, spores, and parasites, the smaller cone ants might be able to reach areas that are otherwise difficult to clean.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

The police, ambulance, fire department, cyclone-warning system and, of course, Zoël Manguillier, the guy to call when the groom drops his wedding ring in the Indian Ocean.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Debuting in second place at $7.2 million was rom-com "Solo Mio" starring comedian Kevin James as a groom left at the altar in Italy, Exhibitor Relations reported.

From Barron's • Feb. 8, 2026

Mobasseri had appeared in Panahi’s previous effort, “No Bears,” while Majid Panahi, who plays a groom swept up in the scheme by his vengeful bride, is the director’s nephew.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026

The groom was a Mr. Gordon Boniface—“heir to the Gould-Stetson fortune”—and the house they were leaving was the house we were in.

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien

Related Words

• comb
• educate
• prim
• tend