grime

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   dirt, soot, or grease that is ingrained and difficult to remove

   Years of grime coated the workshop windows.

2. 2
   verb

   to cover or stain something with ingrained dirt or soot

   Smoke from the furnace can grime the ceiling within weeks.

3. 3
   noun

   a British electronic music genre that developed from UK garage and related styles in the early 2000s

   The festival devoted its final stage to grime and other forms of British rap.

From Middle English grime, 'dirt or soot,' probably connected with Old English grima, 'mask,' and other Germanic words for a covering, streak, or soiled surface. The music name arose in London in the early 2000s, suggesting a raw, gritty sound.

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