grotesque

adjective
UK: /ɡrəˈtesk/
US: /ɡroʊˈtesk/

  1. Very strange and ugly in an unnatural way.

    1. The statue was grotesque and scared the children.
    2. His face was grotesque, distorted by years of heavy drinking, a truly grotesque sight.

  2. Extremely bad or unacceptable.

    1. The food was grotesque, I couldn't eat it.
    2. The level of violence in the film was grotesque and completely unnecessary, even grotesque themes couldn't save it.
grotesque noun

  1. A style of decorative art characterized by fanciful or monstrous human and animal forms, often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature.

    1. The old church was filled with grotesque carvings.
    2. He collected grotesques, finding beauty in the unusual and the grotesque figures.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "grotesque" in English means: Very strange and ugly in an unnatural way., Extremely bad or unacceptable..

The phonetic transcription of "grotesque" is /ɡrəˈtesk/ in British English and /ɡroʊˈtesk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Example usage of "grotesque": "The statue was grotesque and scared the children.". More examples on the page.