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style="min-width:728px;min-height:90px"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa"><div><div class="" style="position:relative"><h1 title="Origin and meaning of grok" class="word__name--TTbAA">grok<!-- --> <!-- -->(v.)</h1><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH"><p>"understand empathically," 1961, an arbitrary formation by U.S. science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) in his book "Stranger in a Strange Land." In the book it is a transliteration of a Martian word and is said to mean etymologically "to drink." It attained popular use in 1960s-70s counterculture but is perhaps obsolete now except in internet technology circles.</p></section><div class="word__firstRecorded--3lZB8">also from<!-- --> <a rel="nofollow" class="word__firstRecorded_time--28qNE" href="/search?sort=a&q=from:1961">1961</a></div></div></div></div><div class="ngram--SmXCf"><h3 class="h3_title" title="Trends of grok">Trends of <i>grok</i></h3><div class="ngram__container--NwjaG" style="height:180px"><canvas id="ngram-chart"></canvas></div><div class="ngram__footer--3-9dX">adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.</div></div><div class="related--32LCi"><h3 class="h3_title" title="More to Explore">More to Explore</h3><div class="related__details--2kumU"><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8" style="padding:10px 20px"><div><a class="recommended-word" rel="nofollow" data-recommended-type="syn_ant" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of comprehend" href="/word/comprehend"><div class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="font-size:18px">comprehend<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></div><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined word__etymology_limit_line--3DeZW" style="cursor:pointer">mid-14c., "to understand, take into the mind, grasp by understanding," late 14c., "to take in, include;" from Latin comprehendere "to take together, to unite; include; seize" (of catching fire or the arrest of criminals); also "to comprehend, perceive" (to seize or take in the mi</section></a></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8" style="padding:10px 20px"><div><a class="recommended-word" rel="nofollow" data-recommended-type="syn_ant" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of savvy" href="/word/savvy"><div class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="font-size:18px">savvy<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></div><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined word__etymology_limit_line--3DeZW" style="cursor:pointer">1785, slang, "practical sense, intelligence, knowledge of the world;" also a verb, "to know, to understand;" a West Indies pidgin borrowing of French savez(-vous)? "do you know?" or Spanish sabe (usted) "you know," the verb in both from Vulgar Latin *sapere, from Latin sapere "be</section></a></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8" style="padding:10px 20px"><div><a class="recommended-word" rel="nofollow" data-recommended-type="syn_ant" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of dig" href="/word/dig"><div class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="font-size:18px">dig<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></div><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined word__etymology_limit_line--3DeZW" style="cursor:pointer">c. 1200, diggen, "to make a ditch or other excavation," a word of uncertain origin, perhaps related to dike and ditch, either via Anglo-French diguer, from Old French digue "dike" (which is ultimately from Proto-Germanic *dīk-, from PIE root *dheigw- "to stick, fix") or directly </section></a></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8" style="padding:10px 20px"><div><a class="recommended-word" rel="nofollow" data-recommended-type="other_relation" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of grasp" href="/word/grasp"><div class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="font-size:18px">grasp<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></div><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined word__etymology_limit_line--3DeZW" style="cursor:pointer">mid-14c., "to reach, grope, feel around," possibly a metathesis of grapsen, from Old English *græpsan "to touch, feel," from Proto-Germanic *grap-, *grab- (source also of East Frisian grapsen "to grasp," Middle Dutch grapen "to seize, grasp," Old English grapian "to touch, feel, </section></a></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8" style="padding:10px 20px"><div><a class="recommended-word" rel="nofollow" data-recommended-type="other_relation" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of compass" href="/word/compass"><div class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="font-size:18px">compass<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></div><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined word__etymology_limit_line--3DeZW" style="cursor:pointer">c. 1300, "space, area, extent, circumference," from Old French compas "circle, radius; size, extent; pair of compasses" (12c.), from compasser "to go around, measure (with a compass); divide equally," from Vulgar Latin *compassare "to pace out," from Latin com "with, together" (s</section></a></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8" style="padding:10px 20px"><div><a class="recommended-word" rel="nofollow" data-recommended-type="other_relation" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of intuit" href="/word/intuit"><div class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="font-size:18px">intuit<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></div><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined word__etymology_limit_line--3DeZW" style="cursor:pointer">1776, "to tutor," from Latin intuit-, past participle stem of intueri "look at, consider," from in- "at, on" (from PIE root *en "in") + tueri "to look at, watch over" (see tutor (n.)). Meaning "to perceive directly without reasoning, know by immediate perception" is from 1840 (De</section></a></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8" style="padding:10px 20px"><div><a class="recommended-word" rel="nofollow" data-recommended-type="other_relation" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of tumble" href="/word/tumble"><div class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="font-size:18px">tumble<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></div><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined word__etymology_limit_line--3DeZW" style="cursor:pointer">c. 1300, "to perform as an acrobat," also "to fall down," perhaps from a frequentative form of Old English tumbian "dance about, tumble, leap." This is of unknown origin but apparently related to Middle Low German tummelen "to turn, dance," Dutch tuimelen "to tumble," Old High Ge</section></a></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8" style="padding:10px 20px"><div><a class="recommended-word" rel="nofollow" data-recommended-type="other_relation" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of apprehend" href="/word/apprehend"><div class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="font-size:18px">apprehend<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></div><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined word__etymology_limit_line--3DeZW" style="cursor:pointer">late 14c., apprehenden, "grasp with the senses or mind;" early 15c., "grasp, take hold of" physically, from Latin apprehendere "to take hold of, grasp," from ad "to" (see ad-) + prehendere "to seize." This is from prae- "before;" see pre- + -hendere, from PIE root *ghend- "to sei</section></a></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8" style="padding:10px 20px"><div><a class="recommended-word" rel="nofollow" data-recommended-type="other_relation" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of understand" href="/word/understand"><div class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="font-size:18px">understand<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></div><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined word__etymology_limit_line--3DeZW" style="cursor:pointer">Old English understandan "to comprehend, grasp the idea of, receive from a word or words or from a sign the idea it is intended to convey; to view in a certain way," probably literally "stand in the midst of," from under + standan "to stand" (see stand (v.)). If this is the meani</section></a></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div><div class="word--C9UPa word_4pc--2SZw8" style="padding:10px 20px"><div><a class="recommended-word" rel="nofollow" data-recommended-type="other_relation" style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block" title="Origin and meaning of digest" href="/word/digest"><div class="word__name--TTbAA word_thumbnail__name--1khEg" style="font-size:18px">digest<span class="word_thumbnail__name_icon--2RFFN"><i class="fa fa-chevron-right" style="font-size:16px"></i></span></div><section class="word__defination--2q7ZH undefined word__etymology_limit_line--3DeZW" style="cursor:pointer">late 14c., in reference to Justinian's law codes in ancient Rome, from Late Latin digesta, from neuter plural of Latin digestus, literally "digested thing," noun use of past participle of digerere "to separate, divide, arrange," etymologically "to carry apart," from dis- "apart" </section></a></div><div style="clear:both"></div></div></div></div><div class="share-tool socialShare--223YS"><h3 title="Share grok to social networks" class="socialShare__title--34iP2">Share <i>grok</i></h3><div class="cite--1qJ-_ share-cite">‘<!-- -->cite<!-- -->’</div><a title="Share on Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etymonline.com%2Fword%2Fgrok" data-social-target="Facebook" target="blank" rel="nofollow" class="fa share socialShare__icon--3FJac socialShare__icon__facebook--2fm3U fa-facebook"></a><a title="Share on Twitter" href="https://twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etymonline.com%2Fword%2Fgrok&text=grok%20%7C%20Etymology%20of%20grok%20by%20etymonline" data-social-target="Twitter" target="blank" rel="nofollow" class="fa share socialShare__icon--3FJac socialShare__icon__twitter--1iFxf fa-twitter"></a><a title="Share on Reddit" href="https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etymonline.com%2Fword%2Fgrok&title=grok%20%7C%20Etymology%20of%20grok%20by%20etymonline" data-social-target="Reddit" target="blank" rel="nofollow" class="fa share socialShare__icon--3FJac socialShare__icon__reddit--30bBu fa-reddit"></a><a title="Share on Email" href="mailto:?subject=grok%20%7C%20Etymology%20of%20grok%20by%20etymonline&body=%22understand%20empathically%2C%22%201961%2C%20an%20arbitrary%20formation%20by%20U.S.%20science%20fiction%20writer%E2%80%A6%20See%20origin%20and%20meaning%20of%20grok.%0Afrom%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etymonline.com%2Fword%2Fgrok%20Find%20out%20more%20at%20etymonline.com" data-social-target="Email" target="blank" rel="nofollow" class="fa share socialShare__icon--3FJac socialShare__icon__email--3hVBm fa-email"></a><div class="cite__content--3ghsO cite-content"><div class="cite__content_title--3ABWh">Page URL:</div><textarea class="cite__content_textarea--3zgJO cite-textarea" readonly="">https://www.etymonline.com/word/grok</textarea><div class="cite__content_title--3ABWh">HTML Link:</div><textarea class="cite__content_textarea--3zgJO cite-textarea" readonly=""><a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/grok">Etymology of grok by etymonline</a></textarea><div class="cite__content_title--3ABWh">APA style:</div><textarea class="cite__content_textarea--3zgJO cite-textarea" readonly="">Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of grok. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/grok</textarea><div class="cite__content_title--3ABWh">Chicago style:</div><textarea class="cite__content_textarea--3zgJO cite-textarea" readonly="">Harper Douglas, “Etymology of grok,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/grok.</textarea><div class="cite__content_title--3ABWh">MLA style:</div><textarea class="cite__content_textarea--3zgJO cite-textarea" readonly="">Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of grok.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/grok. Accessed $(datetimeMla).</textarea><div class="cite__content_title--3ABWh">IEEE style:</div><textarea class="cite__content_textarea--3zgJO cite-textarea" readonly="">D. Harper. “Etymology of grok.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/grok (accessed $(datetime)).</textarea></div></div><p class="wordDetail__date--3r7r8">updated on November 17, 2022</p><div data-ad-container="true" class="adContainer--6CVz1 vertical" style="margin-top:1em"><span class="adLabel--35hfi">Advertisement</span><ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7093273770345366" style="display:block;width:100%" data-ad-slot="7656336158" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins></div></div><div class="ant-col-xs-24 ant-col-sm-24 ant-col-md-24 ant-col-lg-6"><div data-ad-container="true" class="adContainer--6CVz1 removeAdsContainer--3mV2b horizontal"><a href="/premium?utm_source=remove_ads"><div class="removeAdsBtn--2W3KN">Remove ads ></div></a><span class="adLabel--35hfi">Advertisement</span><div id="div-gpt-ad-pc-wd-right" style="min-width:300px;min-height:250px"></div></div><div class="trending__normal--2eWJF"><h3 class="h3_title">Trending words</h3><ul><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of grok" href="/word/grok">1<!-- -->. <!-- -->grok</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of farrago" href="/word/farrago">2<!-- -->. <!-- -->farrago</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of hospital" href="/word/hospital">3<!-- -->. <!-- -->hospital</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of mission" href="/word/mission">4<!-- -->. <!-- -->mission</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of checkmate" href="/word/checkmate">5<!-- -->. <!-- -->checkmate</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of horn" href="/word/horn">6<!-- -->. <!-- -->horn</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of graduate" href="/word/graduate">7<!-- -->. <!-- -->graduate</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of trauma" href="/word/trauma">8<!-- -->. <!-- -->trauma</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of planet" href="/word/planet">9<!-- -->. <!-- -->planet</a></li><li class="trending__normal__word--1Qvnq"><a rel="nofollow" title="Origin and meaning of arctic" href="/word/arctic">10<!-- -->. <!-- -->arctic</a></li></ul></div><div class="alphabetical--2oTZG"><h3 title="words in alphabetical order" class="h3_title">Dictionary entries near <i>grok</i></h3><a title="Origin and meaning of grody" target="" rel="nofollow" href="/word/grody"><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2">grody</p></a><a title="Origin and meaning of grog" target="" rel="nofollow" href="/word/grog"><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2">grog</p></a><a title="Origin and meaning of groggy" target="" rel="nofollow" href="/word/groggy"><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2">groggy</p></a><a title="Origin and meaning of grogram" target="" rel="nofollow" href="/word/grogram"><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2">grogram</p></a><a title="Origin and meaning of groin" target="" rel="nofollow" href="/word/groin"><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2">groin</p></a><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2 alphabetical__active--FCYcm">grok</p><a title="Origin and meaning of grommet" target="" rel="nofollow" href="/word/grommet"><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2">grommet</p></a><a title="Origin and meaning of groom" target="" rel="nofollow" href="/word/groom"><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2">groom</p></a><a title="Origin and meaning of groomsman" target="" rel="nofollow" href="/word/groomsman"><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2">groomsman</p></a><a title="Origin and meaning of groove" target="" rel="nofollow" href="/word/groove"><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2">groove</p></a><a title="Origin and meaning of groovy" target="" rel="nofollow" href="/word/groovy"><p class="alphabetical__word--3UeP2">groovy</p></a></div></div></div></div><div class="alphabet--3sMXd"><ul class="alphabet__inner--2NEtM"><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter A"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=a">A</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter B"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=b">B</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter C"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=c">C</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter D"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=d">D</a></li><li class="alphabet__node--huwT8" title="Prefix, suffix and words starting with the letter E"><a rel="nofollow" href="/search?q=e">E</a></li><li 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