General
grotty
What does grotty mean?
Unpleasant, dirty, nasty. Coined in Liverpool — the Beatles popularised it in 'A Hard Day's Night' (1964) where it's used to describe naff shirts. Now standard British slang for anything grim, mucky or low-quality.
"That kitchen was absolutely grotty, I'm not eating there again."
Origin
British and Australasian slang from 'grotesque'.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'grotty' mean?
It means dirty, grubby, shabby or unpleasant.
Where does 'grotty' come from?
It's British and Australasian slang derived from the word 'grotesque'.
How do you use 'grotty'?
You'd describe something dirty or shabby as grotty, like 'that flat's a bit grotty'.
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