grille

¹

Or grill

[gril]

noun

1. a grating or openwork barrier, as for a gate, usually of metal and often of decorative design.

2. an opening, usually covered by grillwork, for admitting air to cool the engine of an automobile or the like; radiator grille.

3. any of various perforated screens, sheets, etc., used to cover something, as on a radio for protecting the amplifier or in cryptography for coding purposes.

4. a ticket window covered by a grating.

5. Court Tennis.,  a square-shaped winning opening on the hazard side of the court.

grillé

²

Or gril·lée

[gree-yey]

adjective

1. cooked on a grill; broiled.

2. Textiles.,  having an ornamental bar or grate pattern across the open areas of a lace motif.

grille

/ ɡrɪl /

noun

1. Also called: grillwork. a framework, esp of metal bars arranged to form an ornamental pattern, used as a screen or partition

2. Also called: radiator grille. a grating, often chromium-plated, that admits cooling air to the radiator of a motor vehicle

3. a metal or wooden openwork grating used as a screen or divider

4. a protective screen, usually plastic or metal, in front of the loudspeaker in a radio, record player, etc

5. real tennis the opening in one corner of the receiver's end of the court

6. a group of small pyramidal marks impressed in parallel rows into a stamp to prevent reuse

Other Word Forms

• grilled adjective
• ungrilled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of grille¹

1655–65; < French, Old French < Late Latin *gratīcula, Latin crātīcula (compare Old Provençal grazilha ), diminutive of crātis

Origin of grille²

1680–90; < French: grilled; grille

Word History and Origins

Origin of grille¹

C17: from Old French, from Latin crātīcula fine hurdlework, from crātis a hurdle

Example Sentences

Successive face-lifts have finally erased the original’s daft, Cheshire Cat smile, formed by the grille’s upturned corners.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

"We broke open a grille to reach one of the gates, which was on fire. The army and fire service came in and rescued some of them."

Read more on BBC

Stopping the drones getting in has become a priority and six months ago Perth Prison introduced secure window grilles.

Read more on BBC

Its custom-made fittings include mink seats, a gold disc on top of the grille and hubcaps carrying his initials.

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A golden vent rests at its top, the figures on its grille appearing like alien hieroglyphics.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• framework 
• network