boorish

American  

[boor-ish] / ˈbʊər ɪʃ /

adjective

1. of or like a boor; unmannered; crude; insensitive.

   Synonyms:

   churlish, loutish, uncouth, coarse

   Antonyms:

   refined

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boorish British  

/ ˈbʊərɪʃ /

adjective

1. ill-mannered, clumsy, or insensitive; rude

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Synonym Usage

Boorish, oafish, rude, uncouth all describe persons, acts, manners, or mannerisms that violate in some way the generally accepted canons of polite, considerate behavior. Boorish, originally referring to behavior characteristic of an unlettered rustic or peasant, now implies a coarse and blatant lack of sensitivity to the feelings or values of others: a boorish refusal to acknowledge greetings. Oafish suggests slow-witted, loutlike, clumsy behavior: oafish table manners. Rude has the widest scope of meaning of these words; it suggests either purposefully impudent discourtesy or, less frequently, a rough crudity of appearance or manner: a rude remark; a rude thatched hut. Uncouth stresses most strongly in modern use a lack of good manners, whether arising from ignorance or brashness: uncouth laughter; an uncouth way of staring at strangers.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• boorishly
  adverb
• boorishness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of boorish

First recorded in 1555–65; boor + -ish ¹

Explanation

If your cousin tells revolting jokes, belches, and smells like he spent the winter in a cave, he could be described as boorish — an adjective used for people with bad manners and a sloppy appearance. We almost always use the word boorish for men. This may be because it can be traced back to a 13th century word for “herdsman.” Herdsmen spent a lot of time alone with their sheep, sleeping in tents, and cooking over open fires, so it was no wonder that they didn't have the same refined manners as city folk. If someone offends you by acting boorishly — say, by cutting you off in traffic — you could exclaim, “What a boor!” Just don't confuse boor with bore: bad manners may be offensive, but they're rarely boring.

Related Words

• barbaric
• churlish
• coarse
• impolite
• rude
• tasteless
• uncivilized
• vulgar