grassroots

Everyday

1. The grassroots are the ordinary people in a group, club or movement, not the leaders. tree →
2. Grassroots describes something that starts with ordinary people locally, not with people in power, as in grassroots football or a grassroots campaign. tree →

In the lessons

In politics and citizenship lessons, grassroots campaigns are begun by ordinary people, such as a petition to save a park. In sport, grassroots football and rugby mean local clubs where children play. In news, leaders are told to listen to the grassroots.

Examples

• Grassroots football clubs need volunteers. tree →
• The campaign to save the library was a grassroots effort. tree →
• Many famous players started at grassroots level. tree →
• The party leader listened to the grassroots. tree →
• Our recycling scheme began as a grassroots idea. tree →
• Grassroots sport keeps children active. tree →

Note

Often written as one word, sometimes grass-roots or grass roots. The literal grass roots (roots of grass) is a different, ordinary meaning. Used as an adjective before a noun: grassroots project.