groin
/ɡrɔɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡrɔɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgrȯin/ (ame, mw)
groin — noun
- groinsingular
- groinsplural
1. the area on the lower front of the body where the inner part of each leg is join
the area on the lower front of the body where the inner part of each leg is joined to the main part of the body, near the sexual organs
Dr. Amara told the runner to rest after feeling a sharp pain in her groin.
collocation: groin pain / groin injury
Miguel stretched his groin muscles carefully before every football match.
collocation: groin muscles
The swelling in Yuki's groin area worried the emergency room doctor.
A hernia can affect the groin region in both men and women.
- inguinal region
the formal medical term for the same area, used by doctors and in anatomy textbooks
用法筆記
Often used with anatomical words such as 'area', 'region', or 'muscles' to describe the location precisely.
常見錯誤
2. the male sexual organs, referred to in an indirect way by mentioning the surroun
the male sexual organs, referred to in an indirect way by mentioning the surrounding area of the body
The coach told the boys to wear protection over their groin during baseball practice.
register: polite/indirect reference
Omar was embarrassed when the ball hit him in the groin during the match.
common pattern: hit/get [+ preposition 'in'] + the groin
The referee cautioned the player for kicking his opponent in the groin.
Jack pulled up his shorts to check the bruise on his groin after the tackle.
- crotch
more direct and informal, referring to the same area of the body
- private parts
a polite alternative that covers both sexes
用法筆記
Used as a polite alternative to naming the genitals directly. Common in sports, medicine, and informal conversation where a direct term would feel too crude.
常見錯誤
3. a low, narrow structure built from a beach out into the water, designed to slow
a low, narrow structure built from a beach out into the water, designed to slow the movement of sand along the coast and reduce erosion
The village council built a series of concrete groins to stop the beach from disappearing.
collocation: build a groin
A storm destroyed three wooden groins along the coast of Cornwall last winter.
Marine biologists studied how the new groin changed sand movement along the coast.
The stone groins built in the 1950s still protect the harbour from strong currents.
- groyne
identical meaning; this is the more common spelling in British English
- breakwater
a similar but usually larger structure built to protect a coast from waves
用法筆記
Also spelled 'groyne', which is the more common British English spelling. This sense is unrelated to the anatomical meaning.
常見錯誤
groin — verb
- groinpresent simple I / you / we / they
- groins3rd person singular
- groining-ing form
- groinedpast simple
1. to strengthen a stretch of coastline by building low walls that reach from the b
to strengthen a stretch of coastline by building low walls that reach from the beach into the sea, in order to prevent sand from being washed away
The entire bay was groined in the 1960s to protect the newly built seaside hotels.
passive: was/were groined
Engineers groined the river mouth to keep the shipping channel deep enough for large boats.
A team will groin the southern beach before the tourist season begins.
用法筆記
Almost always used in technical or planning contexts. The passive form ('the beach was groined') is more common than the active form.