German edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈɡʁɔɪlɪç/
  • Hyphenation: gräu‧lich
  • (file)

Etymology 1 edit

From grau (grey) +‎ -lich (-ish).

Adjective edit

gräulich (strong nominative masculine singular gräulicher, comparative gräulicher, superlative am gräulichsten)

  1. greyish (somewhat grey)
Declension edit

Etymology 2 edit

From Middle High German griulich, griuwelich, from griuwel, griule, griul (modern Gräuel (horror, atrocity)). Compare Dutch gruwelijk; also related with English gruesome.

The spelling greulich, which formerly distinguished this word from etymology 1, was abolished in order to adjust it and Greuel (atrocity) to related words with -au- (like Grauen).

Alternative forms edit

Adjective edit

gräulich (strong nominative masculine singular gräulicher, comparative gräulicher, superlative am gräulichsten)

  1. ghoulish, gruesome, horrible
Usage notes edit
  • The spelling gräulich has been the prescribed spelling since the German spelling reform of 1996 (the Rechtschreibreform). In the affected areas, the previous spelling (greulich) is now less common, and may be regarded as a misspelling.
Declension edit
Related terms edit

References edit