gross material

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "gross material" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to refer to objects that are made of physical materials such as metals, wood, or plastic. For example, "The sculpture was created out of gross material, including wood and iron."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Cho knows just when to leaven her gross material with a beautifully minted, crisp one-liner.

The Guardian

As rap and hip-hop have taken over the marketplace, the general attitude of pop has shifted from one of embattled idealism into a cartoonish street-level Darwinism that celebrates a life-is-tough, dog-eat-dog ethos of brutal one-upmanship and gross material consumption.

The New York Times

While he praised Solzhenitsyn for having "something of Dante's capacity to make the gross material fact a carrier of spiritual darkness," he also found fault with the chronicler of the Soviet penal system: Moral genius cannot be separated from intelligence, from the power to inform judgment through a constant, life-giving sense of discrimination.

The New Yorker

Has gross material been preserved by you?

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

The insert from the left knee did not have any evidence of gross material failure or fracture.

Acta Orthopaedica

A most important thing to know, which usually does not appear on the history, is whether gross material, sections or X-ray plates have been preserved.

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

With cultivated "automatist" spontaneity, he worked on raw canvas, copper, and the recently invented Masonite; employed gross materials, including sand and tar; made thoroughly abstract pictures; and hatched funky varieties of collage and assemblage, whose influence would extend to Robert Rauschenberg.

The New Yorker

(In no other period was the ingenuously intuitive Miró so receptive to intellectual impetus). With cultivated "automatist" spontaneity, he worked on raw canvas, copper, and the recently invented Masonite; employed gross materials, including sand and tar; made thoroughly abstract pictures; and hatched funky varieties of collage and assemblage, whose influence would extend to Robert Rauschenberg.

The New Yorker

Yet even when the episode goes into decidedly lighter (and grosser) material, it's still committed to building Van as a character: Through Paper Boi's amused mocking, Van's creative desperation, and her ultimate last-ditch confession, we learn that Van is more than just Earn's baby's mama she is, in her own right, one of television's strongest, most interesting characters.

Vice

"I do like vulgar material," noted Lady Bunny, "like having a fake period to the tune of Leona Lewis' 'Bleeding Love' -- just gross-out stuff.

Huffington Post

"After she got married, she became soured, got gross, became material, avaricious, insolent," Herndon wrote in a letter to his protégé, Jesse Weik.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the audience: Using "gross material" in creative writing might imply shock or disgust, so consider context and tone.

Common error

Avoid assuming "gross" always means "disgusting". In some contexts, especially scientific ones, it simply means "observable without magnification". Always clarify your intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "gross material" typically functions as a noun phrase, often acting as the object of a verb or the subject of a clause. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. The term describes a tangible substance or content, emphasizing its observable or unrefined nature.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Academia

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "gross material" is grammatically correct and used in various contexts, ranging from scientific descriptions to creative writing. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is correct and usable in written English. While its frequency is uncommon, its meaning varies depending on the field. In science, it refers to observable characteristics, while in creative contexts, it may imply offensive content. Understanding these nuances is key to effective communication. The most authoritative sources using this phrase include The New York Times and The Guardian. Be mindful of potential misinterpretations of the word "gross", ensuring clarity in your intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

crude substance

Replaces "material" with "substance", focusing on the raw or unrefined aspect.

raw matter

Uses "matter" instead of "material", emphasizing the unprocessed nature.

vulgar content

Shifts the context towards offensive or explicit material.

explicit subject matter

Focuses on the explicitness of the content being discussed.

offensive matter

Highlights the potential offensiveness of the material.

unrefined substance

Emphasizes the lack of refinement or processing.

unprocessed raw

Highlights the lack of processing.

crude ingredients

Focuses on the raw components of something.

coarse matter

Replaces "material" with "matter", indicating rough texture.

base components

Highlights the fundamental parts of a substance or object.

FAQs

How is "gross material" used in scientific contexts?

In science, "gross material" often refers to something observable with the naked eye, without the need for magnification. It describes the macroscopic features of a sample or specimen, as opposed to microscopic details.

What does "gross material" mean in creative writing?

In creative writing, "gross material" can imply something disgusting, offensive, or shocking, depending on the context and the author's intent. It suggests a focus on the raw, often unpleasant aspects of a subject.

Which is correct, "gross material" or "repugnant material"?

Both phrases are correct but have different connotations. "Gross material" is more general and can refer to something simply observable, while "repugnant material" implies something disgusting or offensive.

What are some alternatives to "gross material"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "crude substance", "raw matter", or if referring to offensive content, "vulgar content".