Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “grounds” come from?

Grounds derives from English ground, which comes from English grind, Faroese grind, Old Norse grind, and Proto-Indo-European gʰrendʰ-, meaning to crush or pulverize.

grounds (English): plural of ground; Basis or justification for...

Definitions

  1. plural of ground; Basis or justification for...

Ancestry of “grounds”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgroundThe surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky...
2Middle Englishgroundground; Earth
3Old Englishgrundground; bottom, foundation; abyss, depths
4Proto-Germanicgrunduzground, foundation
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʰrem-to be angry; to sound, bellow, growl, roar, be...
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʰer-to rub; to stroke; to grind

Words derived from “grounds”

  • fairgrounds
  • groundskeeper
  • groundsman
  • groundskeeping
  • groundswoman
  • Archgrounds
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- →