A framework of metal bars or wires that forms a pattern and allows visibility or airflow while providing protection or decoration.
From French 'grille' (grating), which came from Latin 'craticula' (small hurdle or framework). The word traveled through Romance languages and settled into English in the 1600s.
Car grilles are actually a relatively new invention—early automobiles didn't need them because they used different cooling systems. The grille became standard specifically because it looks like a face to us, and manufacturers discovered that putting a prominent grille on the front made cars feel more powerful and aggressive to buyers. Now our brains are trained to see them as the 'smile' of the car.
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