/ kɔːs; NAmE kɔːrs/ adjective ( coars·er , coars·est )
1.
( of skin or cloth ) rough :
coarse hands / linen
OPP smooth , soft
2.
consisting of relatively large pieces :
coarse sand / salt / hair
OPP fine
3.
rude and offensive, especially about sex
SYN vulgar :
coarse manners / laughter
► coarse·ly adverb :
coarsely chopped onions (= cut into large pieces)
He laughed coarsely at her.
► coarse·ness noun [ U ]
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense ordinary or inferior ): origin uncertain; until the 17th cent. identical in spelling with course , and possibly derived from the latter in the sense ordinary manner .