grope

C2+ Topic:Senses & Perception

US /ɡroʊp/ UK /ɡrəʊp/ See IPA manual

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to feel about uncertainly with the hands, as in the dark

She had to grope for the light switch in the unfamiliar room.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to feel about uncertainly... fumble feelgrabblefish search paw

Word family

Forms gropingly

Derived forms gropergroping

Related forms grip grasp

Etymology

From Old English grapian ('to feel, touch, examine with the hands'), from Proto-Germanic *graipōną, related to gripan ('to grasp').

grapian Old English *graipōną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Senses & Perception

# grope

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** ɡroʊp
**IPA (UK):** ɡrəʊp

## Meanings
1. to feel about uncertainly with the hands, as in the dark

## Examples
- She had to grope for the light switch in the unfamiliar room.

## Synonyms
- fumble
- feel
- grabble
- fish
- search
- paw

## Derived Forms
- groper
- groping

## Related Forms
- grip
- grasp

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: grapian
- Root: *graipōną

## Etymology
From Old English grapian ('to feel, touch, examine with the hands'), from Proto-Germanic *graipōną, related to gripan ('to grasp').

## AI Etymology
Grope is from Old English grapian ('to feel, touch, examine with the hands'), from Proto-Germanic *graipōną, related to gripan ('to grasp'). Important recorded forms include grapian (Old English) and *graipōną (Proto-Germanic). The current sense covers to feel about uncertainly with the hands, as in the dark. The wider family includes derived forms such as groper and groping and related words such as grip and grasp.

## Topics
- Senses & Perception

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grope

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