grass roots

British  

plural noun

1. 1. the ordinary people as distinct from the active leadership of a party or organization: used esp of the rank-and-file members of a political party, or of the voters themselves

   2. ( as modifier )

      the newly elected MP expressed a wish for greater contact with people at grass-roots level

2. the origin or essentials

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Etymology

Origin of grass roots

C20: sense 1 originally US, with reference to rural areas in contrast to the towns

Example Sentences

On the remote east side of Mono Lake, he said the animals gobbled down grass, roots and all, depriving certain birds of the worms that live in the vegetation — their sustenance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026

Ideally, the money goes to invest into grass roots development — but in many cases, there seems little to show for FIFA’s largesse.

From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026

In the face of such diverse challenges, Mijente Executive Director Marisa Franco said nonprofits and grass roots must find strength by working together.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2026

"What I want to ensure is that the Premier League is built on those firm foundations so clubs all the way through from the grass roots to the Premier League can continue to thrive."

From BBC • May 23, 2025

In addition to vegetables and fruits, they eat insects, grass, roots, and small pieces of clay, which they chew and swallow, perhaps to get salt and minerals.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston