Grooms

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ɡɹuːmz/

Definitions

1. Men who are soon to be married or have just wed ; to clean and take care of the appearance of someone or something
2. Individuals preparing for marriage or recentlywed males ; to tidy up or improve the condition or look of a person or animal
3. A male participant in a wedding ceremony ; to nurture, clean, or prepare oneself or another carefully

Etymology: In Old English, a bridegroom was a "brȳdguma," combining "brȳd" (bride) with "guma," meaning "man" or "hero." The "groom" in the modern word is a clipping of "bridegroom," shortened in 1604, and the full form had already been altered in Middle English to include an intrusive "r." Middle English also had a separate word, "grom" or "grome," meaning a boy, youth, or manservant. Its origin is uncertain, though it is related to Middle Dutch and Old Icelandic words with similar meanings. Over time, the second half of "bridegroom" was reanalyzed as, or influenced by, this word for an attendant, so a man on his wedding day came to share a name with a household servant.

Synonyms: bridesgrooms, husbands, caretakers, attendants, stewards

Antonyms: brides, wives, spouses