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Gritty comes from grit ("small hard granules"), which in turn derives, via Middle English, from an Old English word for "sand" or "gravel." Grit has been around since before the 12th century, but the first appearance of gritty in print in English was near the end of the 16th century, when it was used in the sense of "resembling or containing small hard granules." Grit entered American slang with the meaning "courage or persistence" in the early 19th century, and gritty followed suit with a corresponding "plucky" sense. By the 19th century's end, gritty was also being used to describe a literary style that was rough and coarse.
Examples of gritty in a Sentence
Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
Herbal Liqueur More earthy than aforementioned amaro, herbal liqueurs are infused with more and stronger herbs and botanicals, usually resulting in more gritty, bitter flavors on their own but are quite savory and delectable when mixed with tequila or mezcal.
—Rachel King, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Sons of Anarchy — While centered on a motorcycle club, this features strong character dynamics and gritty drama similar to Yellowstone.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
The Roberts are a writing duo consisting of Bryan and Alexis Roberts, making waves with their high-energy, dark, gritty tone.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gritty 
Dictionary Entries Near gritty
Cite this Entry
“Gritty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gritty. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
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