grotto
Americannoun
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grottoes,
plural
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grottos
plural
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a cave or cavern.
-
an artificial cavernlike recess or structure.
noun
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a small cave, esp one with attractive features
-
a construction in the form of a cave, esp as in landscaped gardens during the 18th century
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of grotto
1610–20; < Italian grotta < Vulgar Latin *crupta, for Latin crypta subterranean passage, chamber. See crypt
Explanation
A grotto is a small cave, the kind of place where you feel comfortable, cozy, and protected from the harsh realities outside. This word started in Greek (as the word that also gives us crypt), turned into Latin and then Italian, and finally landed in English in the 1600s as grotto. A grotto can be natural or manmade, but either way, it's a small cave or hidden room with cool and inviting features like a comfy floor or round walls. A grotto is a good place to read, write, or just hang out with friends, especially on a hot summer day.
Vocabulary lists containing grotto
Built To Last: Architectural Parlance
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"Rules of the Game" (from The Joy Luck Club) by Amy Tan
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Bless Me, Ultima
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Between the homes, a freeform pool curves through natural rock, hiding a grotto and a slide, with a shallow ledge for lounging and an elevated spa,” according to the listing.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
The Pope then travelled to Lourdes, where he prayed in the grotto where the Virgin Mary was believed to have appeared in the 19th century.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
With time, electricity from solar panels and water from a well turned the grotto into a new home for the 33-year-old Emar, his two wives and 11 children, who nonetheless long for life above ground.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Simon visited Derby on 5 December 2024 to meet children in a grotto at the Derbion centre.
From BBC ● Jan. 18, 2026
Miss Mortimer leaned forward and lowered her voice, though they were the only diners in this hidden grotto.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
Near an oasis in the Gobi Desert, the stupendous mural-covered grottoes capture centuries of Buddhist art.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
The Jinci Temple and Tianlongshan grottoes, both national heritage sites in Shanxi, have collapsed, and old towers and walls in the province have suffered damage due to unusually heavy rain, it said.
From Reuters ● Jul. 17, 2023
The Afro Mermaid Summit — it's so incredibly important for Black and brown mermaids to be able to come together and have a safe space to swim in these beautiful grottoes.
From Salon ● May 28, 2023
Benedict’s tomb lies in the grottoes under the basilica’s main floor.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 8, 2023
He couldn’t stay here.The rainy season in the Ajo Mountains was brief, and Matt had a very clear idea of how soon the little frog ponds and hidden grottoes would dry out.
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
The area is located near caves and grottos, an environment similar to where Brazil's first known spider-parasitic mite species, Charletonia rocciai, was discovered.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 28, 2026
Elves, hired to usher children through grottos, typically earn less, but have seen a slight bump in average pay compared to last year.
From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2025
Children would build grottos from the shells and pester passers-by for pennies for their efforts, with cries of "Pray remember the grotto!"
From Salon ● Jan. 6, 2025
Many popes are buried in tombs in the grottos underneath St. Peter’s Basilica or in side chapels of the basilica itself, including all of Francis’ recent predecessors.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 13, 2023
She spots flashes of The Taker in the dim grottos and murky hollows where the bears and the cougars might be.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
