English Explanatory Dictionary

groove

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A long, narrow channel or depression; e.g., such a slot cut into a hard material to provide a location for an engineering component, a tire groove, or a geological channel or depression.
  2. A fixed routine.
  3. The middle of the strike zone in baseball where a pitch is most easily hit.
  4. A pronounced, enjoyable rhythm.
  5. A good feeling (often as in the groove).
  6. A shaft or excavation.
  7. The optimal route around the track, or any of several such routes.
verb
  1. To cut a groove or channel in; to form into channels or grooves; to furrow.
  2. To perform, dance to, or enjoy rhythmic music.

Pronunciation

/ɡɹuːv/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-groove.wav /ɡɹuv/

Word forms

groove grooves grooving grooved

Etymology

From Middle English grov, grove, groof, grofe (“cave; pit; mining shaft”), probably from Old Norse gróf (“pit”) or from Middle Dutch groeve (“furrow, ditch”), both from Proto-West Germanic *grōbu, from Proto-Germanic *grōbō (“groove, furrow”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrebʰ- (“to dig, scrape, bury”). Cognate with Cimbrian gruuba (“gorge, ravine”), Dutch groef, groeve (“groove; pit, grave”), German Grube (“ditch, pit”), Luxembourgish Grouf (“pit, mine”), Mòcheno gruab (“mine”), Icelandic gróf (“pit, hollow”), Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐍉𐌱𐌰 (grōba, “foxhole”), Serbo-Croatian grèbati (“scratch, dig”). Related to Old English grafan (“to dig”). More at grave.

Antonyms

ridge

Derived words

back in the groove engroove Galvayne's groove get one's groove on groovebox groove fricative groove-joint pliers grooveless groovelike groovemeister groove metal groovesome groovester groovetastic groovework groovitude groovy infraorbital groove ingroove in the groove locked groove microgroove nanogroove polygroove porn groove pregroove rare groove tongue and groove groove on grooved groover regroove ungrooved
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