grawlix

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 See also 1.3.2 References

[edit] English

Wikipedia

[edit] Etymology

Apparently coined by American cartoonist Mort Walker (b. 1923) around 1964.

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈgrɔ:lɪks/

[edit] Noun

grawlix (plural grawlixes or grawlix)

1. A spiral-shaped graphic used to indicate swearing in comic strips.
   • 1995, William H. Gass, The Tunnel, page 159

     He does all the Popeye voices, but prefers Olive Oyl's. He has noises for the nittles, the grawlix, the quimps, the jarns. He blows each balloon up before your ears. He reels home, +'s on his eyes, singing the spirl that rises like heat from his head.

2. A string of typographical symbols, especially "@#$%&!", used (especially in comic strips) to represent an obscenity or swearword.

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[edit] See also

• The Lexicon of Comicana on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:The Lexicon of Comicana
• nittle
• squean (an asterisk with an empty center)
• phosphene for a character who's "seeing stars",
• jarn octothorpe
• quimp Saturn-like graphic
• spirl

[edit] References

• Mort Walker, The Lexicon of Comicana