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groin 1 (groin)
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n.
1. Anatomy The crease or hollow at the junction of the inner part of each thigh with the trunk, together with the adjacent region and often including the external genitals.
2. Architecture The curved edge at the junction of two intersecting vaults.
tr.v. groined, groin·ing, groins
To provide or build with groins.

[Alteration (influenced by LOIN) of Middle English grinde, perhaps from Old English grynde, abyss, hollow.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
groin 2 (groin)
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n.
A small jetty extending from a shore to protect a beach against erosion or to trap shifting sands.

[Early Modern English groyne, ultimately (via Middle French groin, snout, promontory, headland, and Middle English groin, snout) from Old French groin, snout, promontory, from Late Latin grunium, snout, from Vulgar Latin *grunīre, to grunt, variant of Latin grunnīre, to grunt.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.