An Encylopedia Britannica Company

October 05, 2016 Word of the Day

grotesque /groʊˈtɛsk/ adjective
grotesque
/groʊˈtɛsk/
adjective
A bunch of grotesque tomatoes
A bunch of grotesque tomatoes
Definition of GROTESQUE

[more grotesque; most grotesque]

1 : very strange or ugly in a way that is not normal or natural

  • animals with grotesque deformities

  • a grotesque villain

  • The actors wore dark capes and grotesque masks.

2 : extremely different from what is expected or usual

  • a grotesque distortion of the facts

— grotesquely adverb

  • grotesquely deformed

— grotesqueness noun [noncount]

More Words of the Day