churl

American  

[churl] / tʃɜrl /

noun

1. a rude, boorish, or surly person.

2. a peasant; rustic.

3. a stingy person; miser; skinflint.

   He was a churl in his affections.

4. English History. a freeman of the lowest rank.

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churl British  

/ tʃɜːl /

noun

1. a surly ill-bred person

2. archaic a farm labourer

3. a variant spelling of ceorl

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Etymology

Origin of churl

First recorded before 900; Middle English cherl, Old English ceorl “male human being, man, freeman (of the lowest class)”; cognate with Dutch kerel, German Kerl “guy, fellow, chap”; akin to carl

Example Sentences

But I don’t want to be too much of a churl.

From Los Angeles Times

It promised December after December of piqued arguments and cascading overreactions, churls chiming in from all sides, with no argument essentially lame.

From Washington Post

Only a churl would lament the existence of these testaments to the out-of-nowhere potential of a great pop hit.

From Los Angeles Times

And you’d have to be a churl not to like it.

From Washington Post

Fondness for the Brown years is a niche sentiment in British politics, but only the churls deny that he was a substantial figure.

From The Guardian