Unrefinement

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state of lacking refinement includes aspects such as coarseness, rudeness, and the absence of sophistication
2. A condition characterized by a deficiency of polish, elegance, or cultural sophistication along with an overall lack of refinement
3. The quality of being unpolished or crude, which can refer to manners, taste, or social behaviors lacking finesse

Etymology: Refinement began as a word for metalwork. To refine a metal was to purify it by burning or melting away its impurities. The English verb came through Old French "affiner", from "a-" and "fin", meaning fine or pure. The sense of cultivated manners, a person or taste made smooth and polished, grew out of that literal cleansing, so a refined person was one who had been purged of the crude. Unrefinement is the native English prefix "un-", meaning not, attached to that later word. The prefix goes back to Old English, while the stem arrived through French. The noun is likely formed from the adjective "unrefined", so it names the general state of lacking polish rather than any single coarse act. It is a rare word, and most writers use "unrefined" or "coarseness" instead.

Synonyms: crudeness, roughness, coarseness

Antonyms: refinement, elegance