gross
1 of 4adjective
ˈgrōs 
1
a(1)
: glaringly noticeable usually because of inexcusable badness or objectionableness
a gross error
(2)
: out-and-out, utter
a gross injustice
b
: visible without the aid of a microscope
a gross lesion
c
archaic : immediately obvious
Now to all sense 'tis gross you love my son.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare2
a
: coarse in nature or behavior : unrefined
has gross table manners
b
: gravely deficient in civility or decency : crudely vulgar
merely gross, a scatological rather than a pornographic impropriety Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley c
informal : inspiring disgust or distaste
That sandwich looks gross.
3
a
: of, relating to, or dealing with general aspects or broad distinctions
a gross outline of the plan
b
: consisting of an overall total exclusive of deductions
gross income
compare net 4
a
: big, bulky
b
: growing or spreading with excessive luxuriance
a gross riot of vegetation
5
: made up of material or perceptible elements
6
: deficient in knowledge : ignorant, untutored
7
archaic : not fastidious in taste : undiscriminating
grossly adverb
grossness noun
gross
2 of 4verb
grossed; grossing; grosses
transitive verb
: to earn or bring in (an overall total) exclusive of deductions (as for taxes or expenses)
The movie grossed over 100 million dollars.
grosser noun
gross
3 of 4noun (1)
1
: overall total exclusive of deductions
The company's gross doubled in five years.
2
obsolete : amount, sum
gross
4 of 4noun (2)
plural gross
: an aggregate of 12 dozen things
a gross of pencils
Synonyms
Adjective
- bawdy
- blue
- coarse
- crude
- dirty
- filthy
- foul
- gutter
- impure
- indecent
- lascivious
- lewd
- locker-room
- nasty
- obscene
- pornographic
- porny
- profane
- raunchy
- ribald
- smutty
- stag
- trashy
- unprintable
- vulgar
- wanton
- X-rated
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective They have suffered a gross injustice. She has a gross habit of chewing on the ends of her hair. Verb They grossed $50,000 before taxes.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective, Verb, and Noun (1)
Middle English grosse, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French gros large, thick, whole, from Late Latin grossus coarse
Noun (2)
Middle English gros, probably from Anglo-French grosse sum, whole, from feminine of gros
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1c
Verb
1884, in the meaning defined above
Noun (1)
1579, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Noun (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing gross
Kids Definition
gross 1 of 3
adjective
ˈgrōs
grosser; grossest
1
: noticeably bad : glaring
a gross error
2
: disgusting
a gross habit
3
: consisting of a whole before anything is subtracted
gross earnings
4
: showing poor manners : vulgar
gross
2 of 3noun
: the whole before anything is deducted
gross
3 of 3noun
plural gross
: twelve dozen
Medical Definition
gross
adjective
ˈgrōs
1
a
: glaringly or flagrantly obvious
b
: visible without the aid of a microscope : macroscopic
gross lesions
compare occult 2
: growing or spreading with excessive or abnormal luxuriance
3
: of, relating to, or dealing with general aspects or broad distinctions
important to understand the gross behavior of the sexually responding animal A. C. Kinsey
A. C. Kinsey Legal Definition
gross 1 of 3
adjective
ˈgrōs
1
: flagrant or extreme especially in badness or offensiveness : of very blameworthy character
a gross violation of the rules of ethics
a gross abuse of trust
2
: consisting of an overall total exclusive of deductions
gross annual earnings
compare net gross
2 of 3noun
: overall total exclusive of deductions
gross
3 of 3transitive verb
: to earn or bring in (an overall total) exclusive of deductions (as for taxes or expenses)
Biographical Definition
Gross
biographical name
ˈgrōs
David J(onathan) 1941– American physicist
grossness
noun
1
as in obesity
the condition of having an excess of body fat the doctor warned that a high level of grossness is unhealthy Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- obesity
- fatness
- corpulence
- weight
- chubbiness
- rotundity
- corpulency
- pudginess
- fattiness
- fleshiness
- plumpness
- fat
- embonpoint
- adiposity
- heaviness
- bulkiness
- portliness
- stoutness
- huskiness
- pursiness
- burliness
- brawniness
- endomorphy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- thinness
- leanness
- slenderness
- slimness
- trimness
- svelteness
- skinniness
- gauntness
- weediness
- fitness
- reediness
- scrawniness
2
as in vulgarity
the quality or state of being obscene a movie of such indisputable grossness that people who thought that they had seen everything were proven wrong Synonyms & Similar Words
- vulgarity
- foulness
- crudeness
- dirtiness
- suggestiveness
- nastiness
- coarseness
- obscenity
- filth
- filthiness
- crudity
- lewdness
- bawdiness
- impurity
- lasciviousness
- raunch
- offensiveness
- lowness
- ribaldry
- raunchiness
- indecency
- profanity
- distastefulness
- abusiveness
- smut
- blueness
- wantonness
- naughtiness
- smuttiness
- dirt
- broadness
- indelicacy
- atrocity
- perversity
- unpleasantness
- repulsiveness
- undesirability
- unacceptability
- obnoxiousness
- saltiness
- earthiness
- depravity
- loathsomeness
- immodesty
- wickedness
- impureness
- perverseness
- perversion
- raciness
- repugnance
- kinkiness
- lechery
- reprehensibility
- gaminess
- infamy
- atrociousness
- depravedness
- repellency
- indecorousness
- unbecomingness
- pervertedness
- objectionableness
- indelicateness
- scurrilousness
- reprehensibleness
- exceptionability
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- puritanism
- prudery
- primness
- prudishness
- priggishness
- decorum
- decency
- correctness
- seemliness
- purity
- appropriateness
- suitability
- fitness
- suitableness
- perfection
- spotlessness
- priggery
- decorousness
3
as in crassness
the quality or state of lacking refinement or good taste the grossness of his table manners disgusted the other wedding guests Synonyms & Similar Words
- crassness
- rudeness
- lowness
- tastelessness
- indelicacy
- vulgarity
- coarseness
- crudeness
- roughness
- commonness
- rawness
- crudity
- brutishness
- boorishness
- rusticity
- uncouthness
- inelegance
- raffishness
- churlishness
- gracelessness
- artlessness
- rowdiness
- tackiness
- insensitiveness
- loutishness
- kitsch
- clownishness
- unsophistication
- thoughtlessness
- insensitivity
- indelicateness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- gentility
- refinement
- cultivation
- tastefulness
- polish
- elegance
- urbanity
- sensitivity
- grace
- consideration
- graciousness
- courtliness
- thoughtfulness
- genteelness
- mineral yellow
- mineralisation
- mineralisations
- mineralise
- mineralised
- mineraliser
- mineralisers
- mineralises
- mineralising
- mineralist
- mineralists
- mineralizable
- mineralization
- mineralizations
- mineralize
- mineralized
- mineralizer
- mineralizers
- mineralizes
- mineralizing
- mineralocorticoid
- mineralocorticoids
- mineralogic
- mineralogical
- mineralogically