Churlish

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ˈtʃɜːlɪʃ/
• US IPA: /ˈtʃɝːlɪʃ/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)lɪʃ

Origin

From late Old English cierlisc ("of or pertaining to churls"), from churl + -ish. Meaning "deliberately rude" is late 14c.

Full definition of churlish

Adjective

1. of or pertaining to a serf, peasant, or rustic
• 1996, Jeet Heer, Gravitas, Autumn 1996... the eloquence and truth of his tribute stands in marked contrast to Kramer's churlish caricature of Kael as a happy pig wallowing in the dirt.
2. rude, surly, ungracious
3. stingy or grudging
4. (of soil) difficult to till, lacking pliancy; unmanageable
• 1730–1774, Oliver Goldsmith, Introductory to SwitzerlandWhere the bleak Swiss their stormy mansion tread,tAnd force a churlish soil for scanty bread.

Synonyms

• (of or pertaining to a serf) rustic
• (rude or surly) cross-grained, rude, surly, ungracious
• (stingy or grudging) grudging, illiberal, miserly, niggardly, stingy

Related terms

• churl
• churldom
• churled
• churlhood
• churlishly
• churlishness