the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay. the grisliness of the crime scene was too much for the jury.

Where does the word grisly come from?

Grisly derives from an Old English predecessor, "grislic," which is itself related to an Old English verb meaning "to fear." "Grizzly" comes from the Middle English adjective grisel, meaning "gray." Like its close relative "grizzled," this grizzly means "sprinkled or streaked with gray." In other words, the grizzly got ...

What are grisly images?

horrifyingly repellent; terrifying, gruesome. The photos of the killings depict a grisly scene.