Gruff: meaning, definitions and examples

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gruff

[ ɡrʌf ]

^{Context #1}

voice tone

rough, harsh, or stern in manner or appearance

Synonyms

harsh, rough, stern

Examples of usage

His gruff voice scared the children away.
She gave him a gruff reply before hanging up the phone.

^{Context #2}

fairy tale character

a grumpy and often menacing dwarf in fairy tales

Synonyms

dwarf, gnome, goblin

Examples of usage

The gruff demanded a toll from the travelers passing through the forest.
She encountered a group of gruffs guarding the entrance to the cave.

Translations

Translations of the word "gruff" in other languages:

🇵🇹 grosseiro

🇮🇳 कर्कश

🇩🇪 grob

🇮🇩 kasar

🇺🇦 грубий

🇵🇱 szorstki

🇯🇵 ぶっきらぼう

🇫🇷 bourru

🇪🇸 áspero

🇹🇷 kaba

🇰🇷 거친

🇸🇦 فظ

🇨🇿 drsný

🇸🇰 drsný

🇨🇳 粗鲁

🇸🇮 grobián

🇮🇸 grófur

🇰🇿 дөрекі

🇬🇪 უხეში

🇦🇿 kobud

🇲🇽 áspero

Word origin

The word 'gruff' has its origins in Middle English, where it meant rough or coarse. Over time, it evolved to describe a harsh or stern manner. The use of 'gruff' to describe a fairy tale character can be traced back to traditional folklore and storytelling, where gruffs were often depicted as grumpy and menacing creatures. The word continues to be used in modern language to convey a rough or stern tone.