grits

[ grits ]

noun

, (used with a singular or plural verb)

1. Also called hominy grits. (especially in Southern cooking) coarsely ground hominy, or white corn, boiled to a thick consistency and then sometimes fried, eaten as a breakfast dish or as a side dish with meat. Compare polenta ( def ).
2. grain hulled and coarsely ground.

grits

/ ɡrɪts /

plural noun

1. hulled and coarsely ground grain
2. See hominy grits

Word History and Origins

Origin of grits¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English grut(t)a, gryttes (plural) “coarse meal, bran,” Old English gryt(t) “dust, meal”; cognate with German Grütze

Word History and Origins

Origin of grits¹

Old English grytt; related to Old High German gruzzi; see great , grit

Example Sentences

Dig into tamale waffles, topped with shredded beef and two eggs or rich, cheesy shrimp and grits.

From Seattle Times

The aroma of Mississippi-style gumbo, shrimp and grits, and peach cobbler cinnamon rolls is enough to make me hungry too, but JP doesn’t seem to care about food.

From Literature

You’ll want clamps of various sizes to hold pieces together while drilling or assembling, along with sandpaper in a range of grits.

From Seattle Times

He married those influences with a deep love for South Carolina Lowcountry cuisine like shrimp and grits, fried fish and hoppin’ John.

From New York Times

During my period of incarceration, I subsisted on a diet consisting mostly of unsanitary and poorly cooked trays of starches like grits and rice, dehydrated collard greens and canned meat.

From Salon

Related Words

• gruel
• oatmeal
• polenta