grizzled
pronunciation
How to pronounce grizzled in British English:
UK [ˈgrɪzld]
How to pronounce grizzled in American English:
US [ˈɡrɪzəld]
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- Adjective:
- having dark hairs mixed with gray or white
Word Origin
- grizzled (adj.)
- "gray in color," late 14c., griseld, a past participle adjective formation from the noun grizzle "gray-haired old man" (early 14c. as a surname, Grissel); see grizzle (adj.). Or else from Old French grisel "gray," diminutive of gris "gray," from a Frankish or other Germanic source (such as Old High German gris "gray;" see gray (adj.). The -zz- spelling is early 15c. As a verb, grizzle "to grow gray; to make gray" is not attested before 18c.
Example
- 1. Amid this clamor , a grizzled gentleman in an expensive-looking blazer walks up .
- 2. The old man 's hair and beard were long and grizzly [ grizzled ] .
- 3. Early on in my career as a newspaper reporter in london , a grizzled newsroom veteran summoned me over to his desk for a stern talking to .
- 4. The grizzled local proprietor was an expert in a wide variety of subjects , and was easily able to identify the projectile .
- 5. A few miles away , beneath towering motorway viaducts on the fringes of little havana , a grizzled cuban-american in a panama hat also declared that mr romney was the most electable candidate .