# grimace

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɡɹɪm.əs/ · frequency rank #46,492

## Definitions
1. A contorted facial expression, often expressing contempt or pain.
2. Affectation, pretence.

## Etymology
From French grimace, from Middle French grimace, from Old French grimace, grimuche, from grime (“mask”) (with the pejorative suffix -ace, from Latin -āceus), from Frankish *grīma, *grīmō (“mask”), from Proto-Germanic *grīmô (“mask, helmet”). Cognate with Old English grīma (“mask, visor, helmet, spectre, apparition”). More at grime.

## Easily confused with
- **grime** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grimace-vs-grime)
- **grace** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/grace-vs-grimace)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ggrimace`, `girmace`, `griamce`, `grimacce`, `grimaec`, `grimcae`, `grimmace`, `grmiace`, `grrimace`, `rgimace`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/grimace