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nitty-gritty

[ nit-ee-grit-ee ]
/ ˈnɪt iˈgrɪt i /
Slang.
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See synonyms for nitty-gritty on Thesaurus.com
noun
the essential substance or details of a matter; basics; crux: Let's skip the chitchat and get down to the nitty-gritty.
adjective
fundamental, detailed, or probing: nitty-gritty questions.
direct and practical: nitty-gritty advice; a nitty-gritty system.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
candystring
candyfloss
candypuff
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Origin of nitty-gritty

An Americanism dating back to 1960–65; rhyming compound of uncertain origin

Words nearby nitty-gritty

nitrous oxide, nitroxanthic acid, nits-and-lice, Nitti, nitty, nitty-gritty, nitwit, Niue, Niuean, Niu Tireni, nival
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to nitty-gritty

basics, core, essence, focus, fundamentals, gist, heart, kernel, meat, quintessence, reality, root, soul, substance, bottom line, brass tacks, heart of the matter, meat and potatoes, name of the game, nuts and bolts

How to use nitty-gritty in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for nitty-gritty

nitty-gritty
/ (ˈnɪtɪˈɡrɪtɪ) /
noun
the nitty-gritty informal the basic facts of a matter, situation, etc; the core

Word Origin for nitty-gritty

C20: perhaps rhyming compound formed from grit
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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