coarse

Meaning

Adjective

• Composed of large parts or particles; of inferior quality or appearance; not fine in material or close in texture.
• Lacking refinement, taste or delicacy.

Related

Similar words

• (of inferior quality): thick, rough, sharp, hard
• (not refined): rough, rude, uncouth, blunt, unpolished, inelegant, indelicate, vulgar, gritty, obscene, crass

Opposite words

• (of inferior quality): fine

Origin

• Adjectival use of course that diverged in spelling in the 18th century. The sense developed from '(following) the usual course' (cf. of course) to 'ordinary, common' to 'lacking refinement', with 'not fine, granular' arising from its application to cloth. Compare the development of mean.