rude

¹

[ rood ]

adjective

, rud·er, rud·est.

1. discourteous or impolite, especially in a deliberate way:

   a rude reply.

   Synonyms: fresh, pert, saucy, impudent, impertinent, brusque, curt, unmannerly, uncivil

2. without culture, learning, or refinement:

   rude, illiterate peasants.

   Synonyms: uncultured, rough, vulgar, coarse, uncouth, uncivilized, unrefined

3. rough in manners or behavior; unmannerly; uncouth.
4. rough, harsh, or ungentle:

   rude hands.

5. roughly wrought, built, or formed; of a crude construction or kind:

   a rude cottage.

6. not properly or fully developed; raw; unevolved:

   a rude first stage of development.

7. harsh to the ear:

   rude sounds.

8. without artistic elegance; of a primitive simplicity:

   a rude design.

   Synonyms: artless, rustic

9. violent or tempestuous, as the waves.

   Synonyms: stormy, turbulent, tumultuous, fierce

10. robust, sturdy, or vigorous:

    rude strength.

11. approximate or tentative:

    a rude first calculation of costs.

Rude

²

[ ryd ]

noun

1. Fran·çois [f, r, ah, n, -, swa], 1784–1855, French sculptor.

rude

/ ruːd /

adjective

1. insulting or uncivil; discourteous; impolite

   he was rude about her hairstyle

2. lacking refinement; coarse or uncouth
3. vulgar or obscene

   a rude joke

4. unexpected and unpleasant

   a rude awakening to the facts of economic life

5. roughly or crudely made

   we made a rude shelter on the island

6. rough or harsh in sound, appearance, or behaviour
7. humble or lowly
8. prenominal robust or sturdy

   in rude health

9. prenominal approximate or imprecise

   a rude estimate

Derived Forms

• ˈrudely, adverb
• ˈrudeness, noun

Other Words From

• rudely adverb
• rudeness noun
• over·rude adjective
• over·rudely adverb
• over·rudeness noun
• un·rude adjective
• un·rudely adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of rude¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English rude, ruide, from Old French, from Latin rudis

Word History and Origins

Origin of rude¹

C14: via Old French from Latin rudis coarse, unformed

Synonym Study

See boorish. See raw.

Example Sentences

Fineman said that world’s richest man and Trump loyalist is “clearly watching the show” despite his barrage of “rude” criticism on his X platform.

From Los Angeles Times

Fineman confirmed it, initially saying she was "not gonna say anything. But I’m like, no, if you’re gonna go on your platform and be rude, guess what? You made I, Chloe Fineman burst into tears because I stayed up late writing a sketch."

From Salon

As nurse administrator Val, Kaliko Kauahi — who, like Lawson, was on “Superstore” — knows how things work and how to work them, while Kahyun Kim‘s nurse Serena represents youthful, sparky, self-assured attitude. And there, as Peter Quince said to the rude mechanicals, “is a play fitted.”

From Los Angeles Times

"The guy was quite abrupt, quite pushy, quite rude."

From BBC

In the final days of a dead-heat contest for the most powerful office in the world, Republicans argued we must elect a textbook fascist to protect the sacrosanct right of a white man to be rude without being criticized for it.

From Salon

Related Words

• abusive
• blunt
• boorish
• coarse
• crude
• ignorant
• impolite
• insulting
• intrusive
• obscene
• surly
• vulgar