GRUBBY (grubbier, grubbiest)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: grubbier    , grubbiest   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does grubby mean? 

• GRUBBY (noun)
  The noun GRUBBY has 1 sense:

1. small sculpin of the coast of New England

  Familiarity information: GRUBBY used as a noun is very rare.

• GRUBBY (adjective)
  The adjective GRUBBY has 2 senses:

1. infested with grubs

2. thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot

  Familiarity information: GRUBBY used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GRUBBY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Small sculpin of the coast of New England

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

grubby; Myxocephalus aenaeus

Hypernyms ("grubby" is a kind of...):

sculpin (any of numerous spiny large-headed usually scaleless scorpaenoid fishes with broad mouths)

Holonyms ("grubby" is a member of...):

genus Myxocephalus; Myxocephalus (grubby)

• GRUBBY (adjective)

Comparative: grubbier   
Superlative: grubbiest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Infested with grubs

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Pertainym:

grub (a soft thick wormlike larva of certain beetles and other insects)

Derivation:

grub (a soft thick wormlike larva of certain beetles and other insects)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot

Synonyms:

begrimed; dingy; grimy; grubby; grungy; raunchy

Context example:

a grungy kitchen

Similar:

dirty; soiled; unclean (soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime)

Derivation:

grubbiness (the state of being grimy)