coarse

Meaning

  1. With a rough texture; not smooth.
  2. Composed of large particles.
  3. Lacking refinement, taste or delicacy.
  4. (archaic) Unrefined.
  5. Of inferior quality.

Synonyms

rough
B1
rude
B1
crude
C1
vulgar
C1
harsh
B2
thick
B2
gross
B2
unrefined
impolite
C2
raw
B2
uncouth
30k
rugged
C2
boorish
40k
uncivil
common
B1
clumsy
C1
churlish
obscene
C2
abrupt
20k
low
B1
abrasive
33k
old
A1
🧓
hard
A1
indecent
C2
caddish
big
A1
disorderly
C2
indelicate
45k
ragged
C2

rough-cut

crass
23k
uncultured
coarse-grained
tough
A2
unpolished
scurrilous
stubborn
B2
base
B1
scabrous
tasteless
20k
awkward
B2
flat
B1
raucous
30k
robust
C2
lumpy
C2
earthy
34k
lowbred
inferior
C2
large
B1
curt
C2
Translations

grob
grossier
rugueux
coriace
grosseiro
ruw
tosco
grueso
vulgaire
rauh
derb
volgare
grof
grossolano
áspero
Frequency

C2
Pronounced as (IPA)
/kɔːs/
Etymology

Adjectival use of course that diverged in spelling in the 18th century. The sense developed from '(following) the usual course' (cf. of course) to 'ordinary, common' to 'lacking refinement', with 'not fine, granular' arising from its application to cloth. Compare the development of mean.

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