uncouth

[uhn-kooth] /ʌnˈkuθ/
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
before 900; Middle English; Old English uncūth (see un-1, couth2); cognate with Dutch onkond
Related forms
uncouthly, adverb
uncouthness, noun
Synonyms
1. discourteous, rude, uncivil. See boorish. 3. odd, unfamiliar.
Antonyms
1. courteous.
Examples from the web for uncouth
  • He showed up rough, uncouth and unattractive, but he did start his law practice.
  • Even his hand, large and uncouth as they were, could not contain his whisk ers.
British Dictionary definitions for uncouth

uncouth

/ʌnˈkuːθ/
adjective
1.
lacking in good manners, refinement, or grace
Derived Forms
uncouthly, adverb
uncouthness, noun
Word Origin
Old English uncūth, from un-1 + cūth familiar; related to Old High German kund known, Old Norse kunnr
Word Origin and History for uncouth
adj.

Old English uncuð "unknown, uncertain, unfamiliar," from un- (1) "not" + cuð "known, well-known," past participle of cunnan "to know" (see can (v.)). Meaning "strange, crude, clumsy" is first recorded 1510s. The compound (and the thing it describes) widespread in IE languages, cf. Latin ignorantem, Old Norse ukuðr, Gothic unkunþs, Sanskrit ajnatah, Armenian ancanaut', Greek agnotos, Old Irish ingnad "unknown."