gauche

[ gohsh ]

adjective

1. lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless:

   Their exquisite manners always make me feel gauche.

   Synonyms: uncouth, gross, coarse, maladroit, clumsy, inept

gauche

/ ɡəʊʃ /

adjective

1. lacking ease of manner; tactless

Derived Forms

• ˈgaucheness, noun
• ˈgauchely, adverb

Other Words From

• gauchely adverb
• gaucheness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of gauche¹

1745–55; < French: awkward, left; Middle French, derivative of gauchir to turn, veer < Germanic

Word History and Origins

Origin of gauche¹

C18: French: awkward, left, from Old French gauchir to swerve, ultimately of Germanic origin; related to Old High German wankōn to stagger

Example Sentences

While not quite reheating-fish-in-the-microwave egregious, using speakers in an open office is rather gauche.

From Popular-Science

Ambition was deemed gauche, so rock bands had to spend a decade pretending they didn’t care about their life’s work.

From Washington Post

In the academic confines of museums, such talk of marketing and the bottom line qualifies as gauche.

From The Daily Beast

About 16% support the far-right National Front and about 17% the neo-communist Left Front (Front de Gauche).

From The Daily Beast

I was wearing a lacy black nightgown and Rive Gauche by St. Laurent when I let him in.

From The Daily Beast

To someone who grew up in a diverse big city environment, the question sounds impossibly gauche if not offensive.

From The Daily Beast

He came forward with a gauche gallantry, and offered his arm to Horatia.

From Project Gutenberg

I do not know of a more insidious temptation to buy what you do not need than loitering along the quais of the Rive Gauche.

From Project Gutenberg

The Main-gauche is also of the dagger order, but has a broad knuckle-guard and long straight quillons.

From Project Gutenberg

Le membre infrieur gauche, d'abord engourdi sa partie suprieure, prsenta aussi de la raideur.

From Project Gutenberg

My eyes glanced around to see the effect produced on my friends by my gauche cousin.

From Project Gutenberg