Coarse

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /kɔːs/

Definitions

1. Rough or loose in texture, or lacking in refinement and delicacy
2. Rough in texture or composition, lacking in finesse or subtlety, and characterized by a lack of sophistication or elegance
3. Having a rugged or uneven surface, devoid of gentleness or polish, and indicative of a crude or uncultured nature

Etymology: The adjective "coarse" is, surprisingly, the same word as "course," just used in a different sense. Its earliest meaning was "ordinary" or "common," as in following the usual course of things, which is the same idea behind the phrase "of course." From there it moved to "lacking refinement," so that someone or something ordinary in manner or taste came to seem crude, and the two spellings only began to separate in the 18th century. The sense of rough texture grew out of the same shift. Cloth of ordinary, everyday quality was often loosely woven and granular, so calling fabric "coarse" meant it was not fine, and the idea of roughness spread from there to other materials and surfaces. Words like "mean" followed a similar path, moving from "common" to "unkind" over time.

Synonyms: rough, harsh, crude, rugged, unrefined

Antonyms: fine, smooth, delicate, soft, polished