/ Dictionary / Index N nitty-gritty: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: nit•ty-grit•ty Pronunciation: (nit'ē-grit'ē), [key] — Slang. Slang. —n. the essential substance or details of a matter; basics; crux: Let's skip the chitchat and get down to the nitty-gritty. —adj. fundamental, detailed, or probing: nitty-gritty questions. direct and practical: nitty-gritty advice; a nitty-gritty system. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: nitty-gritty (Thesaurus) nitty nitwit Related Content Daily Word Quiz: agitated Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language