What it means
Grotty is your go-to word for something that’s dirty, grim, or a bit run down, like a bathroom with mould, a soggy weekend, or a hoodie that’s seen better days. It’s milder than disgusting but still a clear warning sign. You’ll also hear grot and grottiness when people really want to lean into it.
Usage examples
"We bailed on that café, it was proper grotty, sticky tables, dodgy loo, and a wet dog smell that clung to your jacket."
"The hostel bathroom was properly grotty, I wore flip-flops in the shower the whole week."
"Don't eat off that grotty plate, it's been in the sink since the weekend."
"That bedsit looked cheap online, but in person it was dead grotty, peeling paint, damp in the corner, and a carpet that needed prayers."
"I was gonna borrow his old trainers, then I clocked how grotty they were and left them by the door."
Where it comes from
British slang from the 1960s, formed as a clipped, scruffier offshoot of grotesque. It got a big public shove after The Beatles used it in A Hard Day's Night, and from there it stuck as a handy word for things that feel dirty, shabby, or just a bit depressing to be near.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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