Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
uncouth - 4 dictionary results

un⋅couth

  [uhn-kooth]
Use uncouth in a Sentence
–adjective
1. awkward, clumsy, or unmannerly: uncouth behavior; an uncouth relative who embarrasses the family.
2. strange and ungraceful in appearance or form.
3. unusual or strange.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE uncūth (see un- 1 , couth 2 ); c. D onkond

Related forms:
un⋅couth⋅ly, adverb
un⋅couth⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. discourteous, rude, uncivil. See boorish. 3. odd, unfamiliar.

Antonyms:
1. courteous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To uncouth
un·couth   (ŭn-kōōth')   
adj.  
  1. Crude; unrefined.
  2. Awkward or clumsy; ungraceful.
  3. Archaic Foreign; unfamiliar.

[Middle English, unknown, strange, from Old English uncūth : un-, not; see un-1 + cūth, known; see gnō- in Indo-European roots.]
un·couth'ly adv., un·couth'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Uncouth

Un*couth"\, a. [OE. uncouth, AS. unc?? unknown, strange: un- (see Un- not) + c?? known, p. p. of cunnan to know. See Can to be able, and cf. Unco, Unked.]

1. Unknown. [Obs.] "This uncouth errand." --Milton.

To leave the good that I had in hand, In hope of better that was uncouth. --Spenser.

2. Uncommon; rare; exquisite; elegant. [Obs.]

Harness . . . so uncouth and so rish. --Chaucer.

3. Unfamiliar; strange; hence, mysterious; dreadful; also, odd; awkward; boorish; as, uncouth manners. "Uncouth in guise and gesture." --I. Taylor.

I am surprised with an uncouth fear. --Shak.

Thus sang the uncouth swain. --Milton.

Syn: See Awkward. -- Un*couth"ly, adv. -- Un*couth"ness, n.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source

uncouth 
O.E. uncuð "unknown, uncertain, unfamiliar," from un- (1) "not" + cuð "known, well-known," pp. of cunnan "to know" (see can (v.)). Meaning "strange, crude, clumsy" is first recorded 1513. The compound (and the thing it describes) widespread in IE languages, cf. L. ignorantem,, O.N. ukuðr, Goth. unkunþs, Skt. ajnatah, Armenian ancanaut', Gk. agnotos, O.Ir. ingnad "unknown."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see uncouth on Thesaurus | Reference