grotesque

[ groh-tesk ]

adjective

1. odd or unnatural in shape, appearance, or character; fantastically ugly or absurd; bizarre.

   Synonyms: wild, antic, weird, deformed, distorted

2. fantastic in the shaping and combination of forms, as in decorative work combining incongruous human and animal figures with scrolls, foliage, etc.

noun

1. any grotesque object, design, person, or thing.

grotesque

/ ɡrəʊˈtɛsk /

adjective

1. strangely or fantastically distorted; bizarre

   a grotesque reflection in the mirror

2. of or characteristic of the grotesque in art
3. absurdly incongruous; in a ludicrous context

   a grotesque turn of phrase

noun

1. a 16th-century decorative style in which parts of human, animal, and plant forms are distorted and mixed
2. a decorative device, as in painting or sculpture, in this style
3. printing the family of 19th-century sans serif display types
4. any grotesque person or thing

Derived Forms

• groˈtesquely, adverb
• groˈtesqueness, noun

Other Words From

• gro·tesquely adverb
• gro·tesqueness noun
• ungro·tesque adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of grotesque¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of grotesque¹

C16: from French, from Old Italian ( pittura ) grottesca cave painting, from grottesco of a cave, from grotta cave; see grotto

Synonym Study

See bizarre.

Example Sentences

While that imagery is grotesque, such skin-related fretting is commonplace among QAnon followers.

From Ozy

It would fit conventional wisdom to fault Nixon for the grotesque policy mistakes of the ongoing war on drugs.

From Washington Post

With films that look like works of art — some grotesque, others gentle — Szumowska made her English debut with the 2019 horror film, The Other Lamb, about life in a cult.

From Ozy

In the opening of this novel, which is set in 1991, a grotesque personal tragedy has caused Anna to take to the road, abandoning her job, her husband and baby son.

From Washington Post

That dignity resides in the miserable daily onslaught of unexpected maladies and misfortunes, some of which boggle the mind in their grotesque improbability but all of which must be ignored instantly and totally.

From Washington Post

Grotesque profiteering aside, life release ceremonies can devastate the eco-system.

From The Daily Beast

Why is the sight—or mere thought—of other adults having sex thought of as grotesque, bad, or forbidden in the year 2014?

From The Daily Beast

Except in cases with the highest body count, or the most grotesque cruelty, white victims were the only ones that mattered.

From The Daily Beast

At least Jake Gyllenhaal shaved off his grotesque face scarf this year.

From The Daily Beast

The killing of aid worker David Haines is another grotesque spectacle by a group determined to outrage the West.

From The Daily Beast

The costumes were exceedingly grotesque and suggestive of the New rather than of the Old World.

From Project Gutenberg

Above, great standard electric lamps shed their white glare upon the eddying throng casting a myriad of grotesque shadows.

From Project Gutenberg

The shadows lengthened and crept out like stealthy, grotesque monsters across the grass.

From Project Gutenberg

The educated world repeated to itself these grotesque fallacies till it lost sight of plain and simple truths.

From Project Gutenberg

He found himself trying to frame the words, but they broke into incoherent prayers, still to the same grotesque tune.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• absurd
• bizarre
• eerie
• fanciful
• fantastic
• ludicrous
• monstrous
• odd
• outlandish
• preposterous
• ridiculous
• strange
• surrealistic
• whimsical