grässlich

From Middle High German grēslich, from Middle Low German grēselîk (“horrific”), probably ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *grīsan (“to be frightened”), which is cognate with Old English grislic, whence English grisly. Cognate with Bavarian greißlich. In High German associated with unrelated graz (“angry”), from Old High German *graz (“strict”, attested as adverb grazzo), which is perhaps related with Dutch gretig (“eager”). This association influenced the form but not the sense.