coarse

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled coase

US /kɔɹs/ UK /kɔːs/ See IPA manual

Homophones

course /kɔɹs/

Freq #19357

Meanings

1

adj
Rough to the touch, or made of large, thick particles.

The beach was covered in coarse sand.
2

adj
Rude or lacking good manners.

He shocked the guests with his coarse jokes.
3

adj
Of low or inferior quality.

The shirt was made of cheap, coarse cloth.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · rough to the touch, or made... harsh

2 adj · rude or lacking good manners. crass rude vulgar uncouth

3 adj · of low or inferior quality. common

Opposites

fine

Word family

Forms coarselycoarsenesscoarsercoarsest

Derived forms coarse-grainedcoarse-grainingcoarse-handedcoarsehandedcoarselycoarsencoarsenesscoarsishcoarsyuncoarse

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

coarse grain
a texture consisting of relatively large visible particles

Adjective + noun

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.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# coarse

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /kɔɹs/
**IPA (UK):** /kɔːs/
**Frequency rank:** 19357

## Meanings
1. Rough to the touch, or made of large, thick particles.
2. Rude or lacking good manners.
3. Of low or inferior quality.

## Examples
- The beach was covered in coarse sand.
- He shocked the guests with his coarse jokes.
- The shirt was made of cheap, coarse cloth.

## Antonyms
- fine

## Derived Forms
- coarse-grained
- coarse-graining
- coarse-handed
- coarsehanded
- coarsely
- coarsen
- coarseness
- coarsish
- coarsy
- uncoarse

## 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.

## AI Etymology
coarse is an adjective. 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. Current senses include rough to the touch, or made of large, thick particles, rude or lacking good manners, and of low or inferior quality. Derived forms include coarse-grained, coarse-graining, coarse-handed, coarsehanded, and coarsely.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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