Grunt is a short, low sound that humans or animals make, usually from the throat. When you lift something heavy, you might grunt from the effort. Pigs are famous for their grunting sounds. Someone who's annoyed might respond with just a grunt instead of using words.

The word also describes hard physical work that doesn't require special training or skills. Construction workers might talk about grunt work when they mean the heavy lifting, digging, or carrying that has to get done before the skilled work can begin. When a student complains about the grunt work of a project, they mean the tedious, repetitive parts like organizing notes or copying data, not the creative or interesting parts.

In military language, a grunt is a nickname for an infantry soldier, the troops who do the difficult and dangerous work of fighting on the ground. The term can show respect for soldiers who handle the toughest, most physically demanding jobs in combat.

Whether it's a sound, a type of work, or a soldier's role, grunt suggests something basic, physical, and essential, even if it isn't glamorous.