grime

American  

[grahym] / graɪm /

noun

1. dirt, soot, or other filthy matter, especially adhering to or embedded in a surface.

2. a style of music influenced by rap, ragga, etc., and characterized by lyrics and imagery that reference the dark side of urban life.

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verb (used with object)

grimed, griming

1. to cover with dirt; make very dirty; soil.

grime British  

/ ɡraɪm /

noun

1. dirt, soot, or filth, esp when thickly accumulated or ingrained

2. a genre of music originating in the East End of London and combining elements of garage, hip-hop, rap, and jungle

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verb

1. (tr) to make dirty or coat with filth

Other Word Forms

• griminess noun
• grimy adjective
• ungrimed adjective

Etymology

Origin of grime

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English grim; apparently special use of Old English grīma “mask,” to denote layer of dust; compare dialectal Dutch grijm

Explanation

Grime is gross, greasy, ingrained dirt, like the grime on your neighbor's van that tempts you to write "Clean Me" in it with your finger. You may find grime under your fingernails for days after your auto mechanics class, black oily dirt that requires a lot of scrubbing to remove. It's less common, but you can also use this word as a verb, meaning to make something this dirty: "They're going to grime the kitchen floor if they don't take their boots off!" The Germanic root of grime means "to smear."

Example Sentences

Signs of poor cleaning include strong urine odors, dirty floors, and visible grime.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

In addition to grime, gore and disdain for governments, the ragtime gangsters of “Peaky Blinders” provided a minor education.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

She and other Alexandrians agree the tramway needs work: inside the hand-calligraphied blue exterior, grime covers every surface.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

These people have nothing, but they show up at the juke joint and you see the sweat and grit and grime on the clothes next to people who made a nice dress.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2025

He stood, socked in grime, without a shirt upon him, in his wet pit.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• dust
• filth
• muck
• soot