grating
1 Americannoun
-
a fixed frame of bars or the like covering an opening to exclude persons, animals, coarse material, or objects while admitting light, air, or fine material.
-
Physics. diffraction grating.
adjective
-
irritating or unpleasant to one's feelings.
-
(of a sound or noise) harsh, discordant, or rasping.
adjective
-
(of sounds) harsh and rasping
-
annoying; irritating
noun
noun
-
Also called: grate. a framework of metal bars in the form of a grille set into a wall, pavement, etc, serving as a cover or guard but admitting air and sometimes light
-
short for diffraction grating
Other Word Forms
- gratingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of grating1
First recorded in 1605–15; grat(e) 1 + -ing 1
Origin of grating2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The noise is less grating in the kitchen, so I take a moment to press my forehead against the cool refrigerator door.
From Literature
It was shrill, grating like broken nails on glass.
From Literature
But what’s particularly grating is that this is not just a strategy to avoid bad reviews for as long as possible.
From Salon
Christopher watched the two sphinxes carving into the mountain as they approached; the rock gave way to their claws with a high, grating sound.
From Literature
"There's a grating that keeps getting covered in leaves and branches, it's never getting emptied so water comes over the top and just floods straight through."
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
