churl

churl

noun \ˈchər(-ə)l\

Definition of CHURL

1

: ceorl

2

: a medieval peasant

3

: rustic, countryman

4

a : a rude ill-bred person b : a stingy morose person

Examples of CHURL

1. <as far as he was concerned, anyone from outside the city was a backwater churl>
2. <don't bother asking for donations at that house—the churl who lives there believes that charity begins and ends at home>

Origin of CHURL

Middle English, from Old English ceorl man, ceorl; akin to Old Norse karl man, husband

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to CHURL

Synonyms: bumpkin, chawbacon, hick, clodhopper, cornball, countryman, hayseed, hillbilly, provincial, rube, rustic, yokel

Antonyms: cosmopolitan, cosmopolite, sophisticate

Related Words: boor, clod, clown, gawk, lout, oaf; greenhorn, tenderfoot; peasant, peon; backwoodsman, mountaineer

Near Antonyms: slicker, smoothy (or smoothie); metropolitan, suburbanite, urbanite

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with CHURL

birl, curl, dirl, furl, hurl, merle, pearl, purl, skirl, squirrel, swirl, thirl, tirl, twirl, whirl