Etymology

grimdark

grim·dark
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Today it means: Of a film, television programme, video game, written work, etc.: having a gloomy, dystopian atmosphere. Full definition →

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The story

From grim (adjective) + dark (adjective), inspired by the tagline of the tabletop strategy game Warhammer 40,000 (its rulebook first published in September 1987): In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.