allogroom

verb, transitive + intransitive

al·​lo·​groom ˈa-lō-ˌgrüm How to pronounce allogroom (audio)
allogrooms; allogroomed; allogrooming
: to clean and maintain the appearance of an individual of the same species
A female rhesus monkey may allogroom the male as a means of overcoming his aggression.Desmond Morris, Primate Ethology, 2005
However, allogrooming is one of the most easily ritualized of all social behaviors, and it has been repeatedly and consistently transformed into conciliatory and bonding signals.Edward O. Wilson, Sociobiology, 1980
Several days after parturition, the mare and foal begin to allogroom.George H. Waring, Horse Behavior, 2003

Word History

Etymology

allo- + groom entry 2

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of allogroom was in 1974

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Cite this Entry

“Allogroom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allogroom. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

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