grotesqueness
|gro-tesque-ness|
🇺🇸
/groʊˈtɛsknəs/
🇬🇧
/grəʊˈtɛsknəs/
state/quality of being grotesque (distorted, bizarre)
Etymology
'grotesqueness' derives from the adjective 'grotesque,' which comes into English from Italian 'grottesco' (from 'grotta' meaning 'cave' or 'grotto'); the noun is formed in English by adding the suffix '-ness' to denote a state or quality.
'grotesque' entered English in the 17th century from Italian 'grottesco' (literally 'of a grotto'), a term used in Renaissance art criticism after decorative discoveries in grotto-like ruins; English then formed 'grotesqueness' by adding '-ness' to express the abstract quality.
Originally associated with ornamentation found in caves or grottoes ('of a grotto'), the sense shifted to mean oddly shaped or fantastically ugly, and now 'grotesqueness' denotes that quality or state of being grotesque.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being grotesque — distorted, malformed, or absurd in a way that is shocking or repulsive.
The grotesqueness of the sculpture made many visitors uncomfortable.
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Noun 2
a sense of absurd incongruity or bizarre exaggeration in appearance or behavior that evokes both horror and amusement.
The film emphasized the grotesqueness of the characters' lives to satirize social decay.
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Last updated: 2025/10/20 14:59