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gargoyle vs. grotesque

[gahr-goil] / ˈgɑr gɔɪl /

noun

  • gargoyles
    plural
  1. a grotesquely carved figure of a human or animal.

  2. a spout, terminating in a grotesque representation of a human or animal figure with open mouth, projecting from the gutter of a building for throwing rainwater clear of a building.

[groh-tesk] / groʊˈtɛsk /

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

  • grotesques
    plural
  1. any grotesque object, design, person, or thing.