Groin

GROIN, that part of the belly next to the thigh.—In the Philosophical Transactions we have an account of a remarkable case, where a peg of wood was extracted from the groin of a young woman of 21, after it had remained 16 years in the stomach and intestines, having been accidentally swallowed when she was about five years of age.

Complete entry of Encyclopædia Britannica, 3rd ed. (1788–1797)

Perhaps, in the beginning of the 19th century, British gentlemen would buy an encyclopedia to make interesting dinner conversation.  Poor girl.

Groin (?), n. [F. groin, fr. grogner to grunt, L. grunnire.]

The snout of a swine.

Chaucer.

© Webster 1913.

Groin, v. i. [F. grogner to grunt, grumble.]

To grunt to growl; to snarl; to murmur.

Chaucer.

Bears that groined coatinually. Spenser.

© Webster 1913.

Groin, n. [Icel. grein distinction, division, branch; akin to Sw. gren, branch, space between the legs, Icel. greina to distinguish, divide, Sw. grena to branch, straddle. Cf. Grain a branch.]

1. Anat.

The line between the lower part of the abdomen and the thigh, or the region of this line; the inguen.

2. Arch.

The projecting solid angle formed by the meeting of two vaults, growing more obtuse as it approaches the summit.

3. Math.

The surface formed by two such vaults.

4.

A frame of woodwork across a beach to accumulate and retain shingle.

Weale.

© Webster 1913.

Groin, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Groined (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Groining.] Arch.

To fashion into groins; to build with groins.

The hand that rounded Peter's dome, And groined the aisles of Christian Rome, Wrought in a sad sincerity. Emerson.

© Webster 1913.