grotesque
adjective · noun · verb
Simple meaning
Distorted and unnatural in shape or size.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
grohtehskSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ɡɹoʊˈtɛsk
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
Distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal, especially in a hideous way.
Disgusting or otherwise viscerally revolting.
noun
A style of ornamentation characterized by fanciful combinations of intertwined forms.
Anything grotesque.
verb
transitive
To make grotesque.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal, especially in a hideous way.
In this sense, grotesque is a very strong, expressive word and expresses physical or moral revulsion, not simple disapproval.
- Emotional tone
- Strongly negative
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Very strong
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Harsh or blunt
- Usage feel
- Blunt and forceful
Where it naturally appears
- Personal/emotional discussion
- Literature/storytelling
Usage note
Grotesque is emotionally heavy: it suggests deep or lasting feeling, not a passing mood, so it can overstate a small reaction.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: style of ornamentation characterized by fanciful combinations of intertwined forms
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.