greaves

G2R1E1A1V4E1S1
/ɡɹivz/

noun

The unmeltable residue left after animal fat has been rendered.

Similar
crackling
OriginMiddle Low German grêve ← Old Saxon *griovo ← Proto-West Germanic *greubō →
Less commonScrabble 11
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Meanings

greaves1

noungreaves pl (plural only)
  1. pluralplural onlyThe unmeltable residue left after animal fat has been rendered.
    1 more example

    Rendering is done by boiling the animal carcasses to separate the fat from the meat. At high temperatures, the fat floats as a creamy white substance called tallow, while the heavier protein sinks to the bottom, producing greaves, which can be fed to animals. Tallow is used to make candle wax or is mixed with ash and heated again to form soap.

    2005, Carmen Ferreiro, Mad Cow Disease, Infobase Publishing, →ISBN, page 13

greaves2

noun
  1. pluralplural of greave

Greaves3

proper nounGreaves (plural Greaveses)

plural Greaveses

  1. A surname from Old English.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe residue that remains after animal fat has been rendered

Similar
crackling
Broader
residue
Also see
crackling

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

greaves · noun

  1. Proto-West Germanic*greubō“roughage, brushwood, kindling”
  2. Old Saxon*griovo
  3. Middle Low Germangrêve
  4. Englishgreaves

From Low German (compare German Low German Greev, Greve (“greaves”)), from Middle Low German grêve, from Old Saxon *griovo, from Proto-West Germanic *greubō (“roughage, brushwood, kindling”), perhaps related to *grubaz (“rough, coarse”), the root of German Griebe (“greaves, crackling”). Possibly related to gruff. Also compare Old High German grob (“coarse”) (modern German grob).

More words from Middle Low German, Old Saxon, Proto-West Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Greaves · proper noun

  1. Old Englishgrǣfe“brushwood, thicket”
  2. EnglishGreaves

Topographic surname for someone who lived near a brushwood or thicket, from Old English grǣfe (“brushwood, thicket”).

More words from Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian пръжки
  • пръжки (prăžki)residue from animal fat
Danish fedtegrever
  • fedtegreverresidue from animal fat
Dutch kaantjes
  • kaantjesresidue from animal fat
French cretons, grattons
  • cretonsresidue from animal fat
  • grattonsresidue from animal fat
German Grieben, Grammeln
  • Griebenresidue from animal fat
  • Grammelnresidue from animal fat
Hungarian tepertő, töpörtyű
  • tepertőresidue from animal fat
  • töpörtyűresidue from animal fat
Italian ciccioli
  • ciccioliresidue from animal fat
Polish skwarka
  • skwarkaresidue from animal fat
Portuguese torresmo m rojões
  • torresmo m rojõesresidue from animal fat
Russian шква́рки
  • шква́рки (škvárki)residue from animal fat
Spanish chicharrones
  • chicharronesresidue from animal fat
Swedish grevar
  • grevarresidue from animal fat

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with greaves

JeeveseavesgrievesheavesChinese leaves
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

grievesgreaves

Anagrams

Gervaseservage
Cite this entry
APA

greaves. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/greaves

MLA

“greaves.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/greaves. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “greaves,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/greaves.

Source: greaves on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.