grotesque

English

WOTD - 15 July 2008    

Wikipedia

Etymology

Middle French grotesque (French: grotesque), from Italian grottesco (“of a cave”), from grotta. Compare English grotto.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ɡɹəʊˈtɛsk/
• (US) IPA: /ɡɹoʊˈtɛsk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

grotesque (comparative more grotesque, superlative most grotesque)

1. distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous
2. disgusting or otherwise viscerally reviling.
3. (typography) sans serif.

Derived terms

• grotty

Translations

distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous

Arabic: غريب (ar) (ġarīb) Chinese: Mandarin: 怪模怪樣 (zh), 怪模怪样 (zh) (guàimúguàiyàng) Crimean Tatar: acayip Danish: grotesk (da) Dutch: grotesk (nl) Finnish: groteski (fi) German: grotesk (de)

Hebrew: גרוטסקה (he) (groteska) Italian: grottesco (it) Japanese: グロテスクな (ja) (gurotesuku-na), グロな (ja) (guro-na) Norwegian: grotesk (no) Romanian: grotesc (ro) m. and n. Russian: гротескный (ru) (grotésknyj) Spanish: grotesco (es)

Noun

grotesque (plural grotesques)

1. A style of ornamentation characterized by fanciful combinations of intertwined forms.
2. Anything grotesque.
3. (typography) A sans serif typeface.

Related terms

• grotesquely
• grotesqueness

---

French

Etymology

From Italian grottesco (“of a cave”), from grotta'.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Paris)

  (file)

Adjective

grotesque (epicene, plural grotesques)

1. farcical (ridicule)
2. grotesque

Noun

grotesque m. (plural grotesques)

1. grotesqueness