671: grim and grimace Oct 9, 2016

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Even when two or even three words sound and look similar, and may even have similar meanings, there is no way to be sure of a relationship without doing some research. It would seem logical that 'grim' and 'grimace' have, if not the same origins, then at least ones that are alike. Nevertheless, they are not even from the same language families; 'grimace' comes from the Spanish word, 'grimazo' which means ‘caricature’, and comes from the root grima meaning ‘fright’, while 'grim' is from Old English. The German for 'grim' is 'grimm', but that has no connection to the famous linguists and storytellers, the brothers Grimm, since they didn't happen to choose their family name. 'Grim' is, however, related to 'grin' which in Old English meant "to bare teeth in pain or anger" and probably is also related to 'groan' as well.

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