The word for today is…

grotesque (noun, adjective):

noun
1a: a style of decorative art characterized by fanciful or fantastic human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature
b: a piece of work in this style
2: one that is grotesque
3: sans serif

adjective
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the grotesque: such as
a: fanciful, bizarre
b: absurdly incongruous
c: departing markedly from the natural, the expected, or the typical

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : During the Italian Renaissance, Romans of culture took a great interest in their country’s past and began excavating ancient buildings. During their excavations, they uncovered chambers (known in Italian as grotte, in reference to their cavelike appearance) decorated with artwork depicting fantastic combinations of human and animal forms interwoven with strange fruits and flowers. The Italian word grottesca became the name for this unique art style, and by 1561 it had mutated into the English noun “grotesque.” The adjective form of “grotesque” was first used in the early 17th century to describe the decorative art but is now used to describe anything bizarre, incongruous, or unusual.

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.

David is a retired surgeon originally from London who came to New Zealand twenty-seven years ago after being delayed in Singapore for thirteen years on leaving the UK. He was coerced into studying Latin...