gräulich
German
editPronunciation
editEtymology 1
editFrom grau (“grey”) + -lich (“-ish”).
Adjective
editgräulich (strong nominative masculine singular gräulicher, comparative gräulicher, superlative am gräulichsten)
- greyish (somewhat grey)
Declension
editPositive forms of gräulich
Comparative forms of gräulich
Superlative forms of gräulich
Etymology 2
editFrom 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- greulich (pre-1996)
Adjective
editgräulich (strong nominative masculine singular gräulicher, comparative gräulicher, superlative am gräulichsten)
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
editPositive forms of gräulich
Comparative forms of gräulich
Superlative forms of gräulich
Related terms
editReferences
edit- “gräulich, grau, dunkel” in Duden online
- “gräulich, abscheulich, schrecklich” in Duden online
- “gräulich” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache