grunt

The short low gruff noise of the kind made by hogs.

An unskilled or low-ranking soldier or other worker.

“infantrymen in Vietnam were called grunts”

“he went from grunt to chairman in six years”

Medium-sized tropical marine food fishes that utter grunting sounds when caught.

Issue a grunting, low, animal-like noise.

“He grunted his reluctant approval”