unrefined

[uhn-ri-fahynd]

See more synonyms for unrefined on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not refined; not purified, as substances: unrefined metal.
coarse or crude; lacking in refinement of taste, feeling, manners, language, etc.

Origin of unrefined

First recorded in 1585–95; un-¹ + refined

Synonyms for unrefined

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

1. unpurified, crude, coarse. 2. unpolished, uncultured, ill-bred, rude, boorish, vulgar, gross.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for unrefined

crude, coarse, rude, uncouth, unpolished, barbaric, boorish, crass, earthy, gross, inelegant, primitive, raw, rough, uncivilized, uncultivated, uncultured, unsophisticated, vulgar, brutish

Examples from the Web for unrefined

Historical Examples of unrefined

Altogether there was something about him 18 that struck Maya as unrefined.
The Adventures of Maya the Bee
Waldemar Bonsels
Those of his kindred with whom you will associate are unrefined and mean.
My Novel, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
To be sure, Mrs. Goodenough was a commonplace, unrefined woman.
Wives and Daughters
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
Plain and unrefined as Mrs. Strong was, she had a good, generous heart.
Kathie's Soldiers
Amanda Minnie Douglas
Their taste is unrefined, but they are inclined to respect grace and dignity.
Saunterings in and about London
Max Schlesinger

British Dictionary definitions for unrefined

unrefined

adjective

(of substances such as petroleum, ores, and sugar) not processed into a pure or usable form
coarse in manners or language

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for unrefined

adj.

1590s, "not refined in manners," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of refine (v.). Meaning "not free from gross matter" is recorded from 1610s.