Etymology

ME groffe + the native suffix –ling (the v. grovel is a later back-formation). The n. is always derived from ON, cp. OIcel grúfa ‘position of being face-downwards’, in the phrase á grúfu 'bent over, in a grovelling position’. ON has a related wk. v. grúfa 'to grovel, crouch, lie on one's face' (cp. Ger dial grūben 'to crouch of cold').

PGmc Ancestor

*grūƀ-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

grúfa (n.) ‘position of being face-downwards’, in phrase á grúfu 'bent over, in a grovelling position’
(ONP grúfa (sb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far á grúgva, Norw gruv

OE Cognate

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

B2

Attestation

The n. and the adv. formed on it are widespread in ME from the late 13c./early 14c. (esp. in the N/EM and E, but incl. Chaucer and Lydgate). MED first cites the adv. with the suffix from c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Pe 1120

Bibliography

MED grọ̄̆veling(e (adj. & adv.) , OED grovelling (adv.)[ http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/81898?isAdvanced=true&result=3&rskey=LuwB0L&]; HTOED , EDD grouf (sb. and v.), de Vries grúfa, Mag. grúfa, Orel *ʒrūƀēnan