Standard Lemma guide

grassroots

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈɡɹɑːs.ɹuːts/
  • US: /ˈɡɹæs.ɹuːts/
  • CMU ARPABET: G R AE1 S R UW1 T S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of, or relating to people or society at the local level, particularly in politics, social movements, etc.; of the grass roots.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: grass tops, Astroturf

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

of or involving the common people as constituting a fundamental political and economic group

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a grassroots movement for nuclear disarmament

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

fundamental

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the grassroots factor in making the decision

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ghreh1-der. Proto-Germanic *grasą Proto-West Germanic *gras Old English græs Middle English gras English grass English roots English grassroots From grass + roots.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bengali: তৃণমূল (trinômul) — of the grass roots
  • Catalan: de base — of the grass roots
  • Catalan: local — of the grass roots
  • Chinese Mandarin: 草根 (cǎogēn) — of the grass roots
  • Chinese Mandarin: 基層 /基层 (jīcéng) — of the grass roots
  • Finnish: ruohonjuuritason — of the grass roots
  • French: local — of the grass roots
  • French: sur le terrain — of the grass roots
  • German: Basis- — of the grass roots
  • German: Grassroots- — of the grass roots
  • Hindi: तृणमूल (tŕṇmūl) — of the grass roots
  • Indonesian: akar rumput — of the grass roots
  • Italian: popolare — of the grass roots
  • Italian: sociale — of the grass roots
  • Italian: di base — of the grass roots
  • Italian: dal basso — of the grass roots
  • Malay: akar umbi — of the grass roots
  • Polish: oddolny — of the grass roots
  • Russian: рядово́й (rjadovój) — of the grass roots
  • Russian: низово́й (nizovój) — of the grass roots
  • Russian: обыкнове́нный (obyknovénnyj) — of the grass roots
  • Russian: обы́чный (obýčnyj) — of the grass roots
  • Russian: ме́стный (méstnyj) — of the grass roots
  • Spanish: de base — of the grass roots
  • Swedish: gräsrot — of the grass roots
  • Thai: รากหญ้า (râak-yâa) — of the grass roots
  • Welsh: llawr gwlad — of the grass roots
Real reading context

grassroots in complete knowledge articles