grille

¹ American  

[gril] / grɪl /

Or grill

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.

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grillé ² American  

[gree-yey] / griˈyeɪ /

Or grillée

adjective

1. cooked on a grill; broiled.

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

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grille British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• grilled adjective
• ungrilled adjective

Etymology

Origin of grille¹

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

Origin of grillé²

1680–90; < French: grilled; grille

Example Sentences

The Black Badge specification features a dark-anodized grille and hood figurine in the place of chrome brightwork—younger, fresher, more nocturnal, but also nicely understated, which I like.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 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

Morris Commercial said the reimagined van would retain a number of its original features, including the pear-shaped grille.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2025

Consider sacrosanct all those feline contours, the proud hood, the basket-weave grille form, the double-slit headlamps and sloping roofline.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025

I get out and check the whole car—check the doors, hood, bumpers, lights, front grille and trunk to make sure I didn’t get into an accident without noticing.

From "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Related Words

• framework
• network