grunt
grunt Lexical Profile
grunt Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A low, short, guttural sound made by an animal (especially a pig) or by a person expressing effort, pain, or acknowledgment.
"The weightlifter let out a loud grunt as he hoisted the heavy barbell."
A low-ranking soldier (especially an infantryman) or an unskilled worker who performs routine, menial, or physically demanding tasks.
"During his first summer at the construction company, he worked as a grunt hauling materials across the site."
Any of various tropical and subtropical marine perciform fishes of the family Haemulidae, native to coral reefs and coastal waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, named for the pig-like sound they produce by grinding their pharyngeal teeth.
"While snorkeling along the Florida reef, we spotted a school of yellow-striped grunts sheltering among the coral heads."
North American A traditional New England and Maritime Canadian dessert consisting of stewed fruit topped with biscuit dough and cooked in a covered pot or steamer.
"For dessert, she served warm blueberry grunt topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream."
• verb
To make a low, short, inarticulate, guttural sound (especially of a pig or a person exerting physical effort).
"The hogs grunted contentedly as the farmer poured feed into their trough."
To utter or express reluctantly, curtly, or with a low guttural sound.
"Without looking up from his newspaper, he grunted a brief reply to her question."
• Rhymes for grunt
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English grunnettan, a frequentative form of grunian ('to grunt'), which is of imitative origin and related to German grunzen and Danish grynte.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.