grotesque

Where does the word "grotesque" come from? It comes from Italian grottesca, passing through French before entering English (1500s-1600s).

Grotesque’s story begins in Italian: grottesca meant “of a cave, cave-like.” Describing the fantastical paintings found in newly excavated Roman caves. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as grotesque. Adopted for the strange, fantastical decorative style. It reached English by 1500s-1600s as grotesque. Broadened to mean bizarre or distorted. Today, grotesque means strange, distorted, or unsettling in appearance or character.

1. Stage 1 · Italian · 1400s-1500s grottesca "of a cave, cave-like", describing the fantastical paintings found in newly excavated Roman caves.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1500s grotesque "fantastically decorated", adopted for the strange, fantastical decorative style.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s-1600s grotesque "strange, distorted, or unsettling", broadened to mean bizarre or distorted.