English Dictionary

GRITTY (grittier, grittiest)

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

Irregular inflected forms: grittier  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation, grittiest  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gritty mean? 

GRITTY (adjective)
  The adjective GRITTY has 2 senses:

1. composed of or covered with particles resembling meal in texture or consistencyplay

2. willing to face dangerplay

  Familiarity information: GRITTY used as an adjective is rare.


 Dictionary entry details 


GRITTY (adjective)

 Declension: comparative and superlative 
Comparative: grittier  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Superlative: grittiest  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation


Sense 1

Meaning:

Composed of or covered with particles resembling meal in texture or consistency

Synonyms:

coarse-grained; farinaceous; grainy; granular; granulose; gritty; mealy

Context example:

it left a mealy residue

Similar:

coarse; harsh (of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles)

Derivation:

grit (a hard coarse-grained siliceous sandstone)


Sense 2

Meaning:

Willing to face danger

Synonyms:

game; gamey; gamy; gritty; mettlesome; spirited; spunky

Similar:

brave; courageous (possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching)

Derivation:

grit (fortitude and determination)


 Context examples 


“Let him go, I say,” he repeated; but this time his voice was gritty and metallic.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

A descriptive term that is used in anatomic pathology and refers to the gritty appearance of the cut surface of a specimen.

(Gritty Cut Surface, NCI Thesaurus)

This dust, you will observe, is not the gritty, grey dust of the street but the fluffy brown dust of the house, showing that it has been hung up indoors most of the time, while the marks of moisture upon the inside are proof positive that the wearer perspired very freely, and could therefore, hardly be in the best of training.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The leg of mutton came up very red within, and very pale without: besides having a foreign substance of a gritty nature sprinkled over it, as if if had had a fall into the ashes of that remarkable kitchen fireplace.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"A chain is no stronger than its weakest link." (English proverb)

"However tall the mountain is, there’s a road to the top of it." (Afghanistan proverb)

"No one knows a son better than the father." (Chinese proverb)

"Trust yourself and your horse." (Croatian proverb)



ALSO IN ENGLISH DICTIONARY:


© 2000-2023 AudioEnglish.org | AudioEnglish® is a Registered Trademark | Terms of use and privacy policy
Contact