Grotesque

While this word is relatively recent in comparison with many of the other words we look at, considering it was first seen in about 1640, it might have a very interesting story. First it is interesting to look at a few different definitions given in the OED:1) A kind of decorative painting or sculpture, consisting of representations of portions of human and animal forms, fantastically combined and interwoven with foliage and flowers. (Noun)2) In a wider sense, of designs or forms: Characterized by distortion or unnatural combinations; fantastically extravagant; bizarre, quaint. Also transf. of immaterial things, esp. of literary style. (Adj.)3) Ludicrous from incongruity; fantastically absurd. (Adj.)It seems that our modern community uses the last sense of the adjective the most often. There is a commonly preferred story that the OED admits as plausible while the Chamber's Dictionary presents it as fact. The word has been traced back to the italian word grottesca which is said to be taken from the word for "grotto," which is, according to the OED, "a cave or cavern, esp. one which is picturesque, or which forms an agreeable retreat." The italian root grot- can be traced back to the greek word kruptein which meant "to hide." The suffix came to us through Latin but is of ultimate Germanic origin.The story thus given, is that the word was used to identify the type of paintings that were found through archaelogical digs. They were discovered in certain buried Roman buildings that had been covered over time, and they often held paintings of what Chamber's describes as "odd representations of human and animal forms." It would seem that our use of the word as an adjective to describe something that appears gross or "fantastically absurd" comes from these odd paintings.

Posted by Dan G.R. at 10:03 PM