grunt

American  

[gruhnt] / grʌnt /

verb (used without object)

1. to utter the deep, guttural sound characteristic of a hog.

2. to utter a similar sound.

3. to grumble, as in discontent.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to express with a grunt.

noun

1. a sound of grunting.

2. New England Cooking. a dessert, typically of cherries, peaches, or apples sweetened and spiced, and topped with biscuit dough.

3. any food fish of the family Pomadasyidae (Haemulidae), found chiefly in tropical and subtropical seas, that emits grunting sounds.

4. Slang. a soldier, especially an infantryman.

5. Slang. a common or unskilled worker; laborer.

grunt British  

/ ɡrʌnt /

verb

1. (intr) (esp of pigs and some other animals) to emit a low short gruff noise

2. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to express something gruffly

   he grunted his answer

---

noun

1. the characteristic low short gruff noise of pigs, etc, or a similar sound, as of disgust

2. any of various mainly tropical marine sciaenid fishes, such as Haemulon macrostomum ( Spanish grunt ), that utter a grunting sound when caught

3. slang an infantry soldier or US Marine, esp in the Vietnam War

Other Word Forms

• gruntingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of grunt

First recorded before 900; Middle English grunten, Old English grunnettan, frequentative of grunian “to grunt”; cognate with German grunzen, Latin grunnīre

Example Sentences

Instead of learning by doing grunt work, juniors learn judgment and strategy by working alongside experienced colleagues on higher-level problems from day one, building the business acumen and strategic thinking that AI can’t replicate.

From The Wall Street Journal

I can also report that a cane is more useful than a lot of grunting if you are looking to get out of a chair.

From The Wall Street Journal

The fundamental logic of charging for time spent rather than value delivered is becoming untenable as AI automates more grunt work—and professionals may soon have to change their practices.

From The Wall Street Journal

Finally, Harris grunts himself up from behind his desk and grumbles something about hoping we all used our study time wisely.

From Literature

His 1992 title ushered in a period on dominance for Williams just as cars were beginning to become technical masterpieces over the grunting monsters of the eras before them.

From BBC

Related Words

• groan