gridiron

noun

grid·​iron ˈgrid-ˌī(-ə)rn How to pronounce gridiron (audio)
1
: a grate for broiling food
Put the steaks on the gridiron.
2
: something consisting of or covered with a network
a gridiron of streets
3
: a football field
The two teams will face each other on the gridiron.

Did you know?

Modern gridirons are covered in football players when they're in use, but the original gridirons were more likely to be covered with meat or fish; they were metal gratings used for broiling food over an open fire. In Middle English, such a grating was called a gredil, a root that gave modern English both gridiron and griddle. How did gridiron become associated with football? That happened in the late 1800s, when a white grid pattern was added to football fields to help enforce new rules about how many yards a team had to gain to keep possession of the ball. From high up in the stands, the lines made the playing fields look like cooking gridirons.

Examples of gridiron in a Sentence

The book recounts his many moments of glory on the gridiron.
Recent Examples on the Web Morgan’s ability to flip the switch on the gridiron led to 390 tackles, 7 sacks, 17 pass breakups and 5 interceptions during his career. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2024 Of course, competition also bonds the boys — in activities that span beyond the gridiron, too! Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024 The nail-biter of a game saw Lions quarterback Jared Goff dominate the gridiron, completing 22 of 27 pass attempts while throwing for one touchdown. Justin Klawans, The Week Us, theweek, 15 Jan. 2024 Thus, the first-ever Pop-Tarts Bowl was born, and Strawberry the edible mascot graced the gridiron. Jordan Moreau, Variety, 29 Dec. 2023 Purdy’s meteoric rise — from dead-last draft pick to MVP finalist and Super Bowl signal caller — laid bare the nearly impossible task of predicting future skill on the gridiron in evaluations that often make or break careers. Jason Abbruzzese, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2024 Sports Illustrated pays tribute to former Louisville football QB, NFL Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas Johnny Unitas, who played at U of L from 1951–54, went down as one of the best quarterbacks to ever grace the gridiron. The Courier-Journal, 20 Jan. 2024 Stroud has drawn praise for his accuracy on the gridiron. Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2024 Of course, competition also bonds the boys — even in activities that span beyond the gridiron! Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 18 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gridiron.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gredire, alteration of gridel, gredil griddle

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gridiron was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Gridiron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gridiron. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gridiron

noun
grid·​iron ˈgrid-ˌī(-ə)rn How to pronounce gridiron (audio)
1
: a grate for broiling food
2
: something consisting of or covered with a grid
3
: a football field

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