nitty-gritty

American  

[nit-ee-grit-ee] / ˈnɪt iˈgrɪt i /

noun

1. the essential substance or details of a matter; basics; crux.

   Let's skip the chitchat and get down to the nitty-gritty.

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adjective

1. fundamental, detailed, or probing.

   nitty-gritty questions.

2. direct and practical.

   nitty-gritty advice; a nitty-gritty system.

nitty-gritty British  

/ ˈnɪtɪˈɡrɪtɪ /

noun

1. informal the basic facts of a matter, situation, etc; the core

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Etymology

Origin of nitty-gritty

An Americanism dating back to 1960–65; rhyming compound of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

While Brussels is setting out the nitty-gritty of the reforms it wants from Magyar, leaders will also be pushing for a new approach on Ukraine.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

Say you don’t pay much attention to the nitty-gritty of politics and think they’re all a bunch of clowns.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

While his peers scrimmaged against players in their own grade, the young Kon Knueppel spent his evenings taking a crash course in basketball nitty-gritty from guys two or three times his age.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Keep the nitty-gritty of your plans to your financial manager and attorney — but explain the spirit of the plans to your kids.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 6, 2026

The nitty-gritty details of the historical event itself might slip in and out of my brain like water through a screen, but this, this I could do.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin