couth
1 Americanadjective
noun
adjective
adjective
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facetious refined
-
archaic familiar; known
Etymology
Origin of couth1
First recorded in 1895–1900; back formation from uncouth
Origin of couth2
First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English cūth, past participle of cunnan “to know”; see know 1, can 2, could
Explanation
Couth is an adjective that means "refined or well mannered," like a couth gentleman who stands every time a woman leaves or returns to the table at the fancy dinner — the poor guy got a workout! As a noun, couth means good manners, sophistication or politeness, like having the couth to hold the door — or hold your tongue if the conversation turns to touchy subjects like money, politics, religion, or a person's physical appearance. The opposite of couth is uncouth. Around such a person, expect doors to slam in faces and uncomfortable conversations about sensitive matters.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I still like the venom and passion that was in a lot of the old songs, but there is a level of disrespect and lack of couth that sometimes I don’t dig,” Palumbo says.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 19, 2023
It used to be cute, though, to hear him compensate for his lack of polish and couth by using ridiculously florid language when a one-syllable response would do.
From Salon • May 15, 2023
What could possibly be less couth – less Wimbledon – than seeing off all-comers with attitude, personality and style?
From The Guardian • Jul. 11, 2021
It viciously took him to task for being cosmopolitan and having political couth.
From Washington Post • Aug. 17, 2017
Lapp said, “Gerald G., accept our humble apologies, also our lack of couth; we will kibbutz, I mean kibitz, on the action no longer, we promise to keep it down to your dull roar.”
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
