adjective
uncouth
uhn-KOOTH
adjective
1
Lacking good manners; crude or unrefined in behavior.
"His uncouth table manners embarrassed the whole family."
"She found his uncouth jokes more offensive than funny."
2
Clumsy or awkward in movement or expression.
"The uncouth phrasing made the letter hard to read."
How to Use Uncouth
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRough around the edges — lacking polish, manners, or refinement.
Common mistake
"Couth" on its own sounds like a joke word today, but uncouth is the standard form still in everyday use.
Word Forms
uncouther comparative, more uncouth comparative, uncouthest superlative, most uncouth superlative
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Etymology
From Old English uncūþ, "unknown" — literally un- + couth (once meaning "known" or "familiar"). It shifted from meaning "strange" to meaning "crude," since anything unfamiliar seemed rough or unrefined.
Rhymes for uncouth
south
mouth
youth
vermouth
badmouth
Plymouth
Falmouth
bigmouth
loudmouth
Dartmouth
Portsmouth
Bournemouth
See all rhymes for uncouth →