different between grotesque vs frightful

English

Etymology

From Middle French grotesque (French grotesque), from Italian grottesco (“of a cave”), from grotta. Compare English grotto.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?????t?sk/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??o??t?sk/

Adjective

grotesque (comparative grotesquer, superlative grotesquest)

1. Distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous.
2. Disgusting or otherwise viscerally revolting.
3. (typography) Sans serif.

Derived terms

• grody
• grotty
• guro, ero-guro

Translations

Noun

grotesque (countable and uncountable, plural grotesques)

2. A style of ornamentation characterized by fanciful combinations of intertwined forms.
3. Anything grotesque.
4. (typography) A sans serif typeface.

Related terms

• grotesquely
• grotesqueness

Further reading

• Grotesque in the 1905 edition of the New International Encyclopedia.

French

Etymology

From Middle French grotesque, from Italian grottesco (“of a cave”), from grotta.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???.t?sk/

Adjective

grotesque (plural grotesques)

1. farcical (ridiculous)
2. grotesque

Noun

grotesque m (plural grotesques)

1. grotesqueness

Further reading

• “grotesque” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Middle French

Alternative forms

• crotesque

Etymology

From Italian grottesco.

Adjective

grotesque m or f (plural grotesques)

1. farcical (ridiculous)

Descendants

• ? English: grotesque
• French: grotesque

Noun

grotesque f (plural grotesques)

1. small cave
2. ornament

References

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (grotesque, supplement)

English

Alternative forms

• frightfull (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English frightful (“afraid”), from Old English forhtful (“fainthearted, timorous”). Equivalent to fright +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• enPR: fr?t?f?l, IPA^(key): /?f?a?tf?l/
• Hyphenation: fright?ful

Adjective

frightful (comparative more frightful, superlative most frightful)

1. (obsolete) Full of fright, whether
   1. Afraid, frightened.
      • c. 1250, Genesis and Exodus, line 3459:

        Ðis frigtful ðus a-biden,
        Quiles ðis dai?es for ben gliden.

   2. Timid, fearful, easily frightened.
2. Full of something causing fright, whether
   1. Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming.
   2. (hyperbolic) Unpleasant, dreadful, awful (also used as an intensifier).
      • 1990, House of Cards, Season 1, Episode 1:

        Francis Urquhart: What a frightful little man. Where do they find them these days?
        Tim Stamper: God knows. If I had a dog like that, I'd shoot it.
        Francis Urquhart: Well, yes. Quite.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:frightening
• See Thesaurus:bad

Derived terms

• frightfully

Translations

Adverb

frightful (comparative more frightful, superlative most frightful)

1. (dialect) Frightfully; very.

References

• Webster's, "frightful", 1913.
• Oxford English Dictionary, "frightful, adj.", 1898.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• frigtful

Etymology

From Old English forhtful; equivalent to fright +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?frixt?ful/

Adjective

frightful

1. (rare) afraid, frightened

Descendants

• English: frightful

References

• “frightful, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-05.