Pronunciation: [ɡɹˈɪstli] (IPA) 
The word "gristly" is spelled with an "i" instead of an "e" due to its origin from the word "gristle". The IPA phonetic transcription of "gristly" is /ˈɡrɪstli/. The "i" sound is represented by the letter "i", while the "s" sound is represented by the letter "s". The "t" sound is represented by the letter "t", and the "l" sound is represented by the letter "l". Overall, the spelling of "gristly" reflects its history and pronunciation.
Gristly is an adjective that describes something as containing or having the qualities of gristle. Gristle refers to a tough, cartilaginous tissue found in animals, particularly in the connective tissues between bones or in certain parts of the body, such as the ears, nose, and joints.
When used to describe meat or food, gristly indicates the presence of tough or chewy bits of connective tissue that can be difficult to break down when eating. It suggests a texture that is not as tender or easy to bite through as desired. For example, a steak with gristly parts may impede the enjoyment of the meal due to the excessive chewing required to consume the tougher portions.
The term gristly can also be extended to describe non-food items or aspects. In this context, it refers to the presence of characteristics that resemble or evoke the properties of gristle. For instance, a conversation may be perceived as gristly if it contains difficult or hard-to-swallow subjects, or if it involves prolonged and tedious explanations. Similarly, a story can be described as gristly if it contains complex or convoluted plotlines that are hard to follow or decipher.
Overall, the term gristly captures the idea of toughness, resistance, or difficulty, and is commonly used to describe food or other qualities that involve the presence of cartilage-like textures or challenging aspects.
Of or like gristle.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "gristly" comes from the Old English word "gristlic", which derives from "grist", meaning "to grind", and the suffix "-lic", which denotes being inclined to or characterized by something. Hence, "gristlic" originally referred to something resembling or pertaining to grist, which is the grain that is ground to produce flour. Over time, "gristlic" evolved into "gristly", which today means having a tough, cartilaginous texture, like gristle found in meat.
