Grime
/ɡraɪm/
Grime refers to both thick, ingrained dirt and a British electronic music genre known for its raw, urban sound.
Examples
- They grimed together on a freestyle last night.
- Urban grime makes city buildings look aged and neglected.
- She scrubbed until all the grime had been removed.
- The kitchen walls were covered in years of grime.
- The festival featured both international stars and underground grime acts.
Meanings
The word grime traces back to Old English grym, which meant dirt or filth. It is related to the Old High German grim and Old Norse grimmr, though these carry a sense of 'fierce' or 'cruel', suggesting a possible semantic shift from 'harshness' to 'dirtiness' over time. The modern sense solidified in the 14th century.
Examples
- The kitchen walls were covered in years of grime.
- He wiped the grime off his hands with a rag.
- The old painting was nearly invisible under layers of grime.
- She scrubbed until all the grime had been removed.
- Urban grime makes city buildings look aged and neglected.
The term grime for the music genre was coined in the early 2000s as a play on the word's association with dirt and urban grit. It reflects the raw, underground nature of the scene. Though coincidentally the same as the older word for dirt, its use in music was intentional and symbolic.
Examples
- Many young artists in London started their careers in the grime scene.
- The DJ mixed a classic grime beat into the set.
- Her latest album blends pop with grime influences.
- They grimed together on a freestyle last night.
- The festival featured both international stars and underground grime acts.