grime

American  

[grahym] / graɪm /

noun

1. dirt, soot, or other filthy matter, especially adhering to or embedded in a surface.

2. a style of music influenced by rap, ragga, etc., and characterized by lyrics and imagery that reference the dark side of urban life.

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verb (used with object)

grimed, griming

1. to cover with dirt; make very dirty; soil.

grime British  

/ ɡraɪm /

noun

1. dirt, soot, or filth, esp when thickly accumulated or ingrained

2. a genre of music originating in the East End of London and combining elements of garage, hip-hop, rap, and jungle

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verb

1. (tr) to make dirty or coat with filth

Other Word Forms

• griminess noun
• grimy adjective
• ungrimed adjective

Etymology

Origin of grime

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English grim; apparently special use of Old English grīma “mask,” to denote layer of dust; compare dialectal Dutch grijm

Example Sentences

Cinematographer Guillermo Garza shoots neglected settings like fine art, embracing the grime.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

In addition to grime, gore and disdain for governments, the ragtime gangsters of “Peaky Blinders” provided a minor education.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

She and other Alexandrians agree the tramway needs work: inside the hand-calligraphied blue exterior, grime covers every surface.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

In her refusal to shy away from the grime and grit of Yuknavitch’s story, Stewart creates a startlingly raw atmosphere that ricochets between discordant and truly inspiring.

From Salon • Jan. 1, 2026

I saw military washerwomen dressed in fine silk waistcoats for men, brocaded with water-stains and grime.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• dust
• filth
• muck
• soot