# grow

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɡɹəʊ/ · frequency rank #1,344

## Definitions
1. To become larger, to increase in magnitude.
2. To undergo growth; to be present (somewhere)
3. To appear or sprout.
4. To develop, to mature.
5. To cause or allow something to become bigger, especially to cultivate plants.
6. To assume a condition or quality over time.
7. To become attached or fixed; to adhere.

## Etymology
From Middle English growen, from Old English grōwan (“to grow, increase, flourish, germinate”), from Proto-West Germanic *grōan, from Proto-Germanic *grōaną (“to grow, grow green”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰreh₁- (“to grow, become green”).
Cognates
Cognate with Dutch groeien (“to grow”), German Low German grojen (“to green; thrive; take hold; flourish”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish gro (“to grow”), Faroese grógva (“to grow”), Icelandic gróa (“to grow”); also Latin grāmen (“grass, turf; herb, plant”), herba (“grass, herbage; weeds; plant”), Ukrainian гря́ний (hrjányj, “green”). Related to growth, grass, green.

## Easily confused with
- **Guo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-guo)
- **GRU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-gru)
- **grr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-grr)
- **grt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-grt)
- **grub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-grub)
- **gyro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-gyro)
- **grown** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-grown)
- **grows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-grows)
- **growl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-growl)
- **growth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-growth)
- **grower** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-grower)
- **growls** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grow-vs-growls)
- **go** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/go-vs-grow)
- **GR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gr-vs-grow)
- **got** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/got-vs-grow)
- **god** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/god-vs-grow)
- **GOP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gop-vs-grow)
- **GAO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gao-vs-grow)
- **goo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goo-vs-grow)
- **Goa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goa-vs-grow)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ggrow`, `gorw`, `groww`, `grrow`, `grwo`, `rgow`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/grow