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Glite Dictionary
porcine grunt

porcine grunt

8.9
A low, rough sound that a pig makes
  • noun
  • /ˈpɔːrsaɪn ɡrʌnt/
translation icon : gruñido porcino
  • I heard a porcine grunt coming from the pen.

Examples

  • The old man let out a porcine grunt as he lifted the heavy box.

  • With a porcine grunt, the boy expressed his annoyance without saying a word.

  • Her porcine grunt could be heard across the dining hall, drawing amused glances from others.

  • The porcine grunt echoed through the barn.

  • As the pig rolled in the mud, it let out a loud porcine grunt that echoed through the farm.

  • The comedian imitated a porcine grunt, making the audience laugh at the realistic sound.

  • When he tried to lift the weight, he accidentally made a porcine grunt that surprised everyone nearby.

Synonyms

grunt
vsporcine grunt
337 3.5

A short low sound made by a pig

refers to any low guttural sound resembling pig noise rather than only pig emissions
growl
vsporcine grunt
76 1.6

A low, deep sound an animal makes to warn or show anger

is similar in tone but focuses on resemblance to pig noise rather than threat
oink
vsporcine grunt
22 6.7

A short low sound a pig makes

covers low guttural noises that resemble pig sounds more broadly
grrr
vsporcine grunt
1 9.2

A low growling sound an animal makes or its written form

is the same low noise but described as resembling pig sounds
humpf
vsporcine grunt
  • Informal
9.9

A short snort people make to show doubt or dislike

is a low guttural noise that resembles pig sounds rather than a human snort

How Guttural

snort
42 4.1
porcine grunt
8.9
to grunt
355 4.2
to mumble
103 4.9
murmur
36 4.1

Surface Forms

porcine grunt singular
porcine grunts plural

Morphology

porcine + grunt

Both constituents directly contribute to the meaning: 'porcine' = pig-like and 'grunt' = a low pig sound, so the phrase simply denotes a pig-like low vocalization. This adjective+noun composition is fully compositional and predictable for a B1 learner who knows both words.

Etymology

Porcine grunt comes from a simple image: porcine means 'pig' and grunt is the low noise a pig makes. So, the phrase is used for any low, rough sound that reminds people of a pig and today it means 'a low, pig-like sound'.