gro·tesque
 grotesque
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- pronunciation:
- gro
tesk
- features:
- Word History
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition: |
ugly or badly shaped in character or appearance.
The witch cast a grotesque shadow as she crept up the stairs.
- synonyms:
- distorted, misshapen
- similar words:
- hideous, ugly, unnatural
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| related words: |
gruesome, monstrous, peculiar, unsightly, weird |
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| derivations: |
grotesquely (adv.), grotesqueness (n.) |
Grotesque comes from
grotta, an early Italian word for "cave." English speakers first used the word "grotesque" to describe the weird paintings of humans and animals found on the basement walls of Roman ruins.