grating

¹ American  

[grey-ting] / ˈgreɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. a fixed frame of bars or the like covering an opening to exclude persons, animals, coarse material, or objects while admitting light, air, or fine material.

2. Physics. diffraction grating.

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grating ² American  

[grey-ting] / ˈgreɪ tɪŋ /

adjective

1. irritating or unpleasant to one's feelings.

2. (of a sound or noise) harsh, discordant, or rasping.

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grating ¹ British  

/ ˈɡreɪtɪŋ /

adjective

1. (of sounds) harsh and rasping

2. annoying; irritating

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noun

1. (often plural) something produced by grating

grating ² British  

/ ˈɡreɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. Also called: grate.  a framework of metal bars in the form of a grille set into a wall, pavement, etc, serving as a cover or guard but admitting air and sometimes light

2. short for diffraction grating

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Other Word Forms

• gratingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of grating¹

First recorded in 1605–15; grat(e) ¹ + -ing ¹

Origin of grating²

First recorded in 1555–65; grat(e) ² + -ing ²

Example Sentences

This widens the gap with Grana Padano, a competitor with less stringent production rules, as well as other cheeses meant for grating.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Ms. Sears heckled Ms. Spanberger throughout the debate, and it was grating.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025

While grating noises and intolerable heat may be experienced in pockets across the city, making it hard to draw direct comparisons, some whole sections of L.A. feel conspicuously beset by these environmental disturbances.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2025

A splash of cream softened everything into a pale, velvety sauce, and a grating of parmesan and lemon zest nudged it toward something bright and indulgent.

From Salon • Aug. 26, 2025

All moved slowly to the black grating where down it rushed, to be carried to the river, which would hurl it into the sea.

From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin