Grooming
GROO-ming
/ˈɡruː.mɪŋ/
The practice of cleaning, brushing, and maintaining one's physical appearance and personal neatness.
Emphasizes aesthetic appearance and personal presentation, such as hair, nails, and attire.
The story behind the word. Grooming originated in medieval stables. A 'groom' was a youth or servant whose job was to curry, brush, and care for horses. By the 19th century, the verb expanded beyond equine care to describe human efforts to brush hair, trim beards, and tidy one's outward personal appearance.
Word relationships
- preening: Preening often carries a connotation of self-satisfied or excessive attention to vanity.
- prinking: Prinking implies fussy, detailed dressing up in front of a mirror.
- neglect: Neglect means failing to care for or maintain appearance altogether.
- scruffiness: Scruffiness refers to an untidy and messy personal appearance.
Commonly confused with
- Primping: Primping is brief, excessive adjusting of appearance, whereas grooming is systematic bodily care.
Word family
- groom (verb): To clean, brush, and maintain appearance.
- groom (noun): A person employed to take care of horses, or a bridegroom.
- well-groomed (adjective): Having a neat and tidy appearance.
Collocations
- personal grooming
- grooming habits
- impeccable grooming
- grooming kit
Example sentences
- "Good personal grooming and professional attire are required for all customer-facing employees." Professional workplace guidelines
- "Primate social groups spend hours in mutual grooming to build trust and remove parasites." Animal behavior study
Memory hook
A groom at a wedding must have perfect personal grooming! Brushing up to look your best.
When not to use
Avoid using in medical contexts when describing pathogen eradication; grooming is about personal appearance and neatness.
Fun facts
- Cats spend up to 50% of their waking hours grooming themselves to regulate body temperature and eliminate scent.
- The word 'groom' as a bridegroom comes from Middle English 'bryd-guma', where 'guma' meant man!
Related words
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