What does groomsman mean?
A groomsman is a male attendant who accompanies or assists the groom during a wedding ceremony. The role is part of the wedding party and is usually held by a close friend or relative of the groom. In a wedding with several attendants, each man serving in that capacity may be called a groomsman; the best man is the groom's chief attendant, so the two terms are related but are not interchangeable. A groomsman traditionally stands near the groom during the ceremony and may also help with practical arrangements before or during the wedding. The word is chiefly associated with North American wedding usage, although it is also understood in other English-speaking countries. It comes from “groom's man,” an older expression built around groom, the man being married. The compound reflects the traditional organization of wedding parties: the groom had attendants, while the bride's counterparts were called bridesmaids. Today, groomsmen are common in ceremonies that use multiple attendants on the groom's side.
nounA male attendant to the groom at a wedding, especially one who stands with or assists him during the ceremony. The role is usually held by a friend or relative and forms part of the groom's wedding party.
- A male attendant to the groom at a wedding, especially one who participates in or stands beside the groom during the ceremony.
"Her brother served as the groomsman, standing beside the groom during the ceremony."
"He asked his closest friend to be a groomsman in his wedding."
"The groomsmen waited at the front of the church while the bride entered."
The standard plural is groomsmen, with the -s of groom omitted and -men added. The form groomsmans is nonstandard and should be avoided.
"Two groomsmen accompanied the groom to the altar."
The groom gets the vows; the groomsman gets a front-row seat in formalwear.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of groomsman
Groomsman is an English compound formed in the late 16th century from groom's and man, originally written “groom's man.” Its base, groom in the sense of a bridegroom, developed through Middle English from Old English grom, meaning a man, youth, or servant. Groom also retains the separate older sense of a person employed to care for horses, while modern relatives such as bridegroom and groomsmaid reflect the compound's continued association with a bridegroom and his attendants.
Related word forms
How groomsman is actually used
A conventional and relatively formal wedding term, chiefly associated with US usage. It normally denotes an attendant on the groom's side of the wedding party. The best man is the groom's chief attendant and is therefore a distinct role, although the terms are sometimes used loosely.
Easily confused with groomsman
The groom is the man being married, whereas a groomsman is a male attendant who supports or accompanies him during the wedding.