grotesque
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
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strangely or fantastically distorted; bizarre
a grotesque reflection in the mirror
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of or characteristic of the grotesque in art
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absurdly incongruous; in a ludicrous context
a grotesque turn of phrase
noun
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a 16th-century decorative style in which parts of human, animal, and plant forms are distorted and mixed
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a decorative device, as in painting or sculpture, in this style
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printing the family of 19th-century sans serif display types
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any grotesque person or thing
Synonym Usage
See bizarre.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of grotesque
First recorded in 1555–65; from French, from Italian grottesca (from pittura grottesca, opera grottesca “grotesque painting, decoration” such as was apparently found in excavated buildings), the feminine of grottesco “grotesque, uncouth,” derivative of grotta “cave.” See grotto, -esque
Compare meaning
How does grotesque compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Use grotesque to describe things that are very strange and ugly in an unnatural way. If something "grosses you out," you can safely refer to it as grotesque. Grotesque also refers to a style of art that uses odd and fanciful combinations of natural, human, and animal forms. The original reference was to cave paintings found in ancient Roman ruins. Our English word is from French, from Italian grottesca pittura, "a cave painting," from grotta, "cave." Italian grotta is the source of our English word grotto.
Vocabulary lists containing grotesque
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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Holes
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"Marigolds," Vocabulary from the short story
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Grotesque, but at the same time paired with such peculiar, delectating joy.
From The New Yorker • Jul. 8, 2019
He believed that "the Grotesque becomes important. … It is recognizably our world that Romance deals with, but somehow transfigured by mystery and surprise, and illuminated with strange lights."
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 28, 2014
Another of her novels, Grotesque, centred on a prostitute and her sister, both of them struggling against the subordinate role of women in Japan, searching for a way to have control over their lives.
From The Guardian • Feb. 27, 2013
The Grotesque 3D printing is about more than just making fake plastic trees.
From Salon • Apr. 23, 2012
They crowd before the stall's bright altar rail, Grotesque, and sacred, for that light's brief span, And all the shuddering darkness cries, "All hail, Daughters and Sons of Man!"
From Collected Poems Volume Two by Noyes, Alfred
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
