grotesque
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
strangely or fantastically distorted; bizarre
a grotesque reflection in the mirror
-
of or characteristic of the grotesque in art
-
absurdly incongruous; in a ludicrous context
a grotesque turn of phrase
noun
-
a 16th-century decorative style in which parts of human, animal, and plant forms are distorted and mixed
-
a decorative device, as in painting or sculpture, in this style
-
printing the family of 19th-century sans serif display types
-
any grotesque person or thing
Synonym Usage
See bizarre.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Holes
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Marigolds," Vocabulary from the short story
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 inequality long ago became a principal characteristic of the world’s biggest and most crowded cities.
From The New Yorker • May 25, 2015
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
The most monstrous example of the Grotesque Renaissance which there is in Venice; the sculptures on its fa�ade representing masses of diseased figures and swollen fruit.
From The Stones of Venice, Volume III (of 3) by Ruskin, John
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.
