a grating or openwork barrier, as for a gate, usually of metal and often of decorative design.
an opening, usually covered by grillwork, for admitting air to cool the engine of an automobile or the like; radiator grille.
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.
a ticket window covered by a grating.
Court Tennis. a square-shaped winning opening on the hazard side of the court.
cooked on a grill; broiled.
Textiles. having an ornamental bar or grate pattern across the open areas of a lace motif.
Also called: grillwork. a framework, esp of metal bars arranged to form an ornamental pattern, used as a screen or partition
Also called: radiator grille. a grating, often chromium-plated, that admits cooling air to the radiator of a motor vehicle
a metal or wooden openwork grating used as a screen or divider
a protective screen, usually plastic or metal, in front of the loudspeaker in a radio, record player, etc
real tennis the opening in one corner of the receiver's end of the court
a group of small pyramidal marks impressed in parallel rows into a stamp to prevent reuse
1655–65; < French, Old French < Late Latin *gratīcula, Latin crātīcula (compare Old Provençal grazilha ), diminutive of crātis
1680–90; < French: grilled; see grille
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Behind the crosshatched front grille lives a well-tempered, turbocharged 3.5-liter V6, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and permanent all-wheel drive, including a digitally controlled limited-slip differential.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
Few automobile exteriors are ever finished like this, with its broad, sterling-like chrome garnishes at the lower grille intakes, the rocker panels, exhaust outlets and bumpers, all smoothed perfectly into the blown-glass curvatures.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026
Since the theft the museum has taken several emergency measures, including replacing the grille used by the thieves as Des Cars sought to focus on a major "Louvre -- New Renaissance" renovation of the site.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
A Southern California driver made a startling discovery Sunday morning when they found a live bird of prey stuck in the grille of their car.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 21, 2025
I stood and got up in his grille.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
