grotesque

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gro·tesque

(grō-tĕsk′)

adj.

1. Characterized by ludicrous, repulsive, or incongruous distortion, as of appearance or manner. See Synonyms at ugly.

2. Outlandish or bizarre, as in character or appearance. See Synonyms at fantastic.

3. Of, relating to, or being the grotesque style in art or a work executed in this style.

1. One that is grotesque.

a. A style of painting, sculpture, and ornamentation in which natural forms and monstrous figures are intertwined in bizarre or fanciful combinations.

b. A work of art executed in this style.

[From French, a fanciful style of decorative art, from Italian grottesca, from feminine of grottesco, of a grotto, from grotta, grotto; see grotto.]

gro·tesque′ly adv.

gro·tesque′ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

grotesque

(ɡrəʊˈtɛsk)

adj

1. strangely or fantastically distorted; bizarre: a grotesque reflection in the mirror.

2. (Art Terms) of or characteristic of the grotesque in art

3. absurdly incongruous; in a ludicrous context: a grotesque turn of phrase.

4. (Art Terms) a 16th-century decorative style in which parts of human, animal, and plant forms are distorted and mixed

5. (Art Terms) a decorative device, as in painting or sculpture, in this style

6. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) printing the family of 19th-century sans serif display types

7. any grotesque person or thing

[C16: from French, from Old Italian (pittura) grottesca cave painting, from grottesco of a cave, from grotta cave; see grotto]

groˈtesquely adv

groˈtesqueness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

gro•tesque

(groʊˈtɛsk)

adj.

1. odd or unnatural in shape, appearance, or character; fantastically ugly or absurd; bizarre.

2. fantastic in the shaping and combination of forms, as in decorative work combining incongruous human and animal figures with scrolls, foliage, etc.

3. a grotesque object, design, person, or thing.

[1555–65; < French < Italian grottesco (as n., grottesca grotesque decoration such as was appar. found in excavated dwellings), derivative of grotta. See grotto, -esque]

gro•tesque′ly, adv.

gro•tesque′ness, n.

syn: See fantastic.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	grotesque - art characterized by an incongruous mixture of parts of humans and animals interwoven with plants art, fine art - the products of human creativity; works of art collectively; "an art exhibition"; "a fine collection of art"
Adj.	1.	grotesque - distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous; "tales of grotesque serpents eight fathoms long that churned the seas"; "twisted into monstrous shapes" monstrous ugly - displeasing to the senses; "an ugly face"; "ugly furniture"
	2.	grotesque - ludicrously odd; "Hamlet's assumed antic disposition"; "fantastic Halloween costumes"; "a grotesque reflection in the mirror" antic, fantastic, fantastical strange, unusual - being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird; "a strange exaltation that was indefinable"; "a strange fantastical mind"; "what a strange sense of humor she has"

grotesque

adjective

1. unnatural, bizarre, weird, odd, strange, fantastic, distorted, fanciful, deformed, outlandish, whimsical, freakish, misshapen, malformed statues of grotesque mythical creatures
unnatural natural, normal

2. absurd, ridiculous, ludicrous, preposterous, incongruous the grotesque disparities between the rich and the poor
absurd natural, normal

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

grotesque

adjective

1. Resembling a freak:

freakish, freaky, monstrous.

2. Conceived or done with no reference to reality or common sense:

antic, bizarre, fantastic, fantastical, far-fetched.

Translations

غَريب الشَّكْل

groteskní

grotesk

grotesk

groteski

grotesque

groteszk

furîulegur, fáránlegur, kynlegur

grottesco

groteskiškai

grotesks

grotesk

acayip gülünç

奇形怪状的

grotesque

[grəʊˈtesk]

A. ADJ

1. (= hideous) [appearance, idea, sight, spectacle] → grotesco; [allegation, proposal] → absurdo

2. (Art) → grotesco

B. N → grotesco m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

grotesque

[grəʊˈtɛsk] adj

[idea, behaviour] → grotesque

(= ugly) → grotesque

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

grotesque

adj

(= outlandish, ridiculous) sight, spectacle, shape → grotesk; idea, proposal, allegation → absurd

(= distorted) grimace → verzerrt; the body was in a grotesque position → der Körper lag völlig verzerrt da; he was rather grotesque to look at → seine Erscheinung wirkte grotesk

(Art) → grotesk

(Art) the grotesque → die Groteske

(Typ) → Grotesk f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

grotesque

[grəʊˈtɛsk] adj → grottesco/a

grotesque

(grəˈtesk) adjective

very strange-looking. a grotesque figure.

groˈtesquely adverb

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

In the end he wrote a book which he called "The Book of the Grotesque." It was never published, but I saw it once and it made an indelible impression on my mind.

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In the finale she fell into some of those grotesque attitudes which were at the time popular among the dancers in the theatres up-town, giving to the Bowery public the phantasies of the aristocratic theatre-going public, at reduced rates.

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They became fond of arraying themselves in any article of civilized dress which they could procure, and often made a most grotesque appearance.

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As we came still nearer, this individual began to run to and fro on the beach, making the most grotesque movements.

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At the corner of the bridge, too, I saw one of the common contrasts of that grotesque time--a sheet of paper flaunting against a thicket of the red weed, transfixed by a stick that kept it in place.

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It was a most grotesque and horrid tableau and I hastened out into the fresh air; glad to escape from so gruesome a place.

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"The precedent once established, all must perish by its edict--even those which may not be grotesque or bestial--even this perfect one," and he touched again the vat, "and thus you would rid yourself of rival suitors.

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She looked frowsy and grotesque. Philip, not knowing what on earth this new attitude implied, went back to his work.

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"But the grotesque inhabitants of this forest?" I urged.

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Edna began to feel like one who awakens gradually out of a dream, a delicious, grotesque, impossible dream, to feel again the realities pressing into her soul.

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Moreover, it was not till late that the short plot was discarded for one of greater compass, and the grotesque diction of the earlier satyric form for the stately manner of Tragedy.