gross

1 of 2

adjective

ˈgrōs 

1

a(1)

: glaringly noticeable usually because of inexcusable badness or objectionableness

a gross error

a gross dereliction of duty

(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

2

a

: coarse in nature or behavior : unrefined

has gross table manners

b

: gravely deficient in civility or decency : crudely vulgar

gross language

… merely gross, a scatological … impropriety

—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

We men are too gross to comprehend it.

—Nathaniel Hawthorne

7

archaic : not fastidious in taste : undiscriminating

grossly adverb

grossness noun

grossness

2 of 2

noun

gross·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being gross

Synonyms of gross

Adjective

• obscene
• vulgar
• pornographic
• foul
• nasty
• dirty
• filthy

Choose the Right Synonym for gross

coarse, vulgar, gross, obscene, ribald mean offensive to good taste or morals.

coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

flagrant, glaring, gross, rank mean conspicuously bad or objectionable.

flagrant applies usually to offenses or errors so bad that they can neither escape notice nor be condoned.

flagrant abuse of the office of president

glaring implies painful or damaging obtrusiveness of something that is conspicuously wrong, faulty, or improper.

glaring errors

gross implies the exceeding of reasonable or excusable limits.

gross carelessness

rank applies to what is openly and extremely objectionable and utterly condemned.

rank heresy

Examples of gross in a Sentence

Adjective

They have suffered a gross injustice.

She has a gross habit of chewing on the ends of her hair.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The manslaughter charge includes special allegations of gross negligence and a vehicle code violation. —Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026

The gross margin decline included inventory write-downs relating to the transition of James Allen, which has become a proprietary brand within the Blue Nile website. —David Moin, Footwear News, 2 June 2026

Compounding the pressure on growth, gross revenue retention has continued to decrease slightly over the past three years, signaling that retaining existing customers is becoming harder. —William Decourcy, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

This should include financial benefits, such as an exclusion from gross income for military reserve pay during service periods and the restoration of the above-the-line deduction for unreimbursed military expenses eliminated in 2017. —Robert Krasner, STAT, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English grosse, groce "large, thick, coarse, not in detail, plain," borrowed from Anglo-French gros, grosse "large, great, fat, pregnant, important, (of flour, salt) coarse" (also continental Old French), going back to Latin grossus "thick," "unripe," of uncertain origin

Note: The Latin adjective grossus occurs in some manuscripts of De re rustica by the Roman agricultural writer Columella (1st century a.d.), taking the place of, in other witnesses, crassus "thick" and crūdus "unripe." It is difficult to separate this word etymologically from the noun grossus (or grossa), used by agricultural writers and Pliny to refer to an unripe or abortive fig. As an adjective in a variety of senses, grossus has outcomes in nearly all the Romance languages and dialects.

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Phrases Containing gross

• adjusted gross income
• gross anatomy
• gross domestic product
• gross national product
• gross-out
• gross ton

Rhymes for gross

• dose
• gros
• rowse
• adios
• adipose
• amylose
• bellicose
• cellulose
• centavos
• comatose
• diagnose
• grandiose

Kids Definition

gross

1 of 4 adjective

ˈgrōs 

1

a

: very obvious : glaring

a gross error

b

: shameful sense 1

gross injustice

2

: big entry 1 sense 2a, bulky

especially : excessively fat

3

: consisting of a whole before any deductions

gross earnings

4

: coarse sense 5, vulgar

gross language

5

informal : causing disgust or distaste

grossly adverb

grossness noun

gross

2 of 4 noun

: a whole before any deductions

gross

3 of 4 verb

: to earn before deductions

grossed $50,000 before taxes

gross

4 of 4 noun

plural gross

: 12 dozen

a gross of pencils

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English gros, gross "large, thick, easy to see or understand," from early French gros "thick, coarse," from Latin grossus (same meaning)

Noun

Middle English gros "a group of 12 dozen," probably from early French grosse "sum, whole," derived from gros "thick"

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

grossly adverb

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

grossly adverb

grossness noun

gross

2 of 3 noun

: overall total exclusive of deductions

gross

3 of 3 transitive verb

: to earn or bring in (an overall total) exclusive of deductions (as for taxes or expenses)

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, immediately obvious, from Middle French gros thick, coarse, from Latin grossus