English
grotesque
Grotesque comes from Middle French grotesque ‘farcical (ridiculous)’, from Italian grotta ‘cave’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek κρύπτω ‘to hide’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκρύπτωkrúptō‘to hide’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκρυπτήkruptḗ
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcrypta
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*gruptareconstructed
- Italianc. 1300–presentgrotta‘cave’
- Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentgrottesco
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600grotesque‘farcical (ridiculous)’
- Englishearliest quotation 1834grotesque
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκρύπτωkrúptō‘to hide’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκρυπτήkruptḗ
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcrypta
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*gruptareconstructed
- Italianc. 1300–presentgrotta‘cave’
- Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentgrottesco
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600grotesque‘farcical (ridiculous)’
- Englishearliest quotation 1834grotesque
Earliest quotation: 1834, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, London: Richard Bentley: “The chimney-piece was of party-coloured marble, covered with figures,…”
Linked words
through Ancient Greek κρύπτω ‘to hide’
through Ancient Greek κρυπτή
through Latin crypta
through Italian grotta ‘cave’
Today it means
adj Distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal, especially in a hideous way.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek κρύπτω / grotesque