English Reference
noun · verb

group

n. · v.
US /ˈɡɹup/ UK /ɡɹˈuːp/ group UK spelling grouped, groups

  1. 01 A1 Beginner

    n.a number of people or things that are together in the same place or share something in common.

    n.a collection of individuals or objects located, grouped, or classified together.

    Simple

    A small group of students stood outside the classroom waiting for the teacher.

    In context

    The researchers divided the participants into a control group and an experimental group to test the efficacy of the new medication.

  2. 02 A2 Elementary Music

    n.a small number of people who play music or sing together.

    n.a musical ensemble, typically in popular music genres, consisting of several performers.

    Simple

    Her favourite pop group is going on a world tour next summer.

    In context

    The indie group gained a massive following after their lead single went viral on several streaming platforms.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate Business

    n.a large company that owns several smaller companies.

    n.a commercial organization comprising several companies or subsidiaries under a single parent entity.

    Simple

    The hotel group owns over two hundred properties across Europe.

    In context

    Following the merger, the banking group restructured its international divisions to improve operational efficiency and reduce overhead costs.

  4. 04 C1 Advanced Technical Science

    n.a vertical column of elements in the periodic table.

    n.a vertical column in the periodic table of chemical elements, where elements share similar electronic configurations.

    Simple

    Elements in the same group often react in similar ways.

    In context

    The noble gases are located in group eighteen of the periodic table and are characterised by their lack of chemical reactivity.

  5. 05 C2 Proficiency Technical Math

    n.a set of numbers or objects that follow specific rules when you combine them.

    n.an algebraic structure consisting of a set equipped with an associative binary operation, an identity element, and inverse elements.

    Simple

    In math class, we learned how to identify a symmetry group.

    In context

    The professor demonstrated that the set of integers under addition forms an abelian group because it satisfies the four fundamental axioms.

  6. 06 B1 Intermediate

    v.to put people or things into sets based on how they are similar.

    v.to arrange or classify objects or individuals into categories based on shared attributes.

    Simple

    The teacher asked us to group the words by their endings.

    In context

    The software allows users to group files by date, size, or file type for easier navigation and management.

  7. 07 B1 Intermediate

    v.to come together in one place.

    v.to assemble or gather in a specific location to form a cluster or unit.

    Simple

    The fans started to group around the stadium entrance hours before the game.

    In context

    As the storm approached, the hikers began to group together under the rocky overhang for protection from the wind.

Usage group called · group of people · group of young


Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *grewbʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *kruppazder. Frankish *kruppbor. Vulgar Latin *cruppus Italian gruppobor. French groupebor. ▲ Italian gruppobor. English group From French groupe (“cluster, group”), from Italian gruppo, groppo (“a knot, heap, group, bag (of money)”). In the "group theory" sense, calqued from French groupe, a term coined by the young French mathematician Évariste Galois in 1830. Cognate with German Kropf (“crop, craw, bunch”); Old English cropp, croppa (“cluster, bunch, sprout, flower, berry, ear of corn, crop”) (whence English crop); Dutch krop (“craw”), Icelandic kroppr (“hump, bunch”). Doublet of crop and croup.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin French groupe
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Very common
Updated