Grovel
/ˈɡrʌv.əl/noun
To lie or creep humbly on the ground, or to behave in a servile way.
Did you know?Grovel is historically tied to the idea of creeping close to the ground, and its older senses capture a physical lowering that later became a social image of abasement.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
grovelen
“to creep or lie prone on the ground”
Late Middle English
English
groveling
“crawling, prostrate, earthbound”
Early Modern English
English
grovel
“to lie low or crawl in a submissive way”
Modern English
English
grovel
“to act in a servile or degrading manner”