groomsman

groomsman — noun

1. a male friend or family member chosen by a bridegroom to serve as an attendant b

1.nounB1
Definition

a male friend or family member chosen by a bridegroom to serve as an attendant before and during the wedding, often helping with pre-ceremony tasks and guiding guests to their seats

Example

Leila asked her younger brother to be her fiancé's groomsman.

ask + someone + to be + [role]

Kofi served as a groomsman at his best friend's wedding last June.

serve as a groomsman

Common collocations
  • ask [someone] to be [one's] groomsman
  • serve as a groomsman
  • stand as a groomsman
  • the head / chief groomsman
  • choose [someone] as groomsman
Synonyms
  • wedding attendant

    a gender-neutral, broader term for anyone serving at a ceremony

  • usher

    more common in British English; focuses on the role of seating guests

  • best man

    the chief groomsman, with special duties such as holding the rings and giving a speech

Antonyms
  • bridesmaid

    the female counterpart who serves the bride at a wedding

Grammar Patterns

be a groomsman

ask + someone + to be + groomsman

Usage Note

Chiefly used in North American English; 'usher' is more common in British English for the guest-seating role at a wedding. The plural form is 'groomsmen,' not 'groomsmans.'

Common Mistakes

He picked three groomsmans for his wedding.
He picked three groomsmen for his wedding.
The plural of 'groomsman' is 'groomsmen,' not 'groomsmans.'
The groomsman held the wedding rings during the ceremony.
The best man held the wedding rings during the ceremony.
Only the best man (the chief groomsman) has ring-holding duties; other groomsmen assist with guests and pre-wedding tasks.

Word family

  • groomsmen
    noun (plural)B1
  • groom
    nounA2
  • bridegroom
    nounB1
  • best man
    nounB1
  • bridesmaid
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'groomsman' is any male friend or relative chosen by the groom to assist before and during the wedding. The 'best man' is the lead groomsman, responsible for holding the rings, giving a toast, and signing the marriage license — a role with heavier duties and more honor. 'Usher' focuses specifically on the task of seating guests; in British English, ushers often take on the full role that North Americans call a groomsman. 'Wedding attendant' is a gender-neutral umbrella term that can refer to anyone in the wedding party. While a 'bridesmaid' is the female counterpart on the bride's side, the term is not interchangeable. For example: 'Toru asked his cousin to be a groomsman and his older brother to be the best man.'

best manusher ↗wedding attendantbridesmaid ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • ask someone to be groomsman
  • serve as a groomsman
  • stand as groomsman
  • choose a groomsman

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining 'groom' (short for 'bridegroom,' the man being married) with 'man' (a person). The word first appeared in the early 1700s in English. 'Groom' itself traces back to Old English 'guma' meaning 'man,' which was later used specifically for a man on his wedding day.