vulgar
AdjectiveOpen English WordNet
Adjective (4)
- lacking refinement or cultivation or taste“he had coarse manners but a first-rate mind”“behavior that branded him as common”“an untutored and uncouth human being”“an uncouth soldier — a real tough guy”“appealing to the vulgar taste for violence”“the vulgar display of the newly rich”Synonyms: coarsecommonrough-cutuncouthOpposite refinedSimilar unrefined
- of or associated with the great masses of people“the common people in those days suffered greatly”“behavior that branded him as common”“his square plebeian nose”“a vulgar and objectionable person”“the unwashed masses”Synonyms: commonplebeianunwashedOpposite nobleSimilar lowborn
- being or characteristic of or appropriate to everyday language“common parlance”“a vernacular term”“vernacular speakers”“the vulgar tongue of the masses”“the technical and vulgar names for an animal species”Synonyms: commonvernacularOpposite formalSimilar informal
- conspicuously and tastelessly indecent“coarse language”“a crude joke”“crude behavior”“an earthy sense of humor”“a revoltingly gross expletive”“a vulgar gesture”“full of language so vulgar it should have been edited”Synonyms: crudeearthygrossOpposite decentSimilar indecent
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: L. vulgaris, from vulgus the multitude, the common people; of uncertain origin: cf. F. vulgaire. Cf. Divulge.
1. Of or pertaining to the mass, or multitude, of people; common; general; ordinary; public; hence, in general use; vernacular. “As common as any the most vulgar thing to sense. ” William Shakespeare
Things vulgar, and well-weighed, scarce worth the praise.— John Milton
It might be more useful to the English reader... to write in our vulgar language.— Bp. John Fell
The mechanical process of multiplying books had brought the New Testament in the vulgar tongue within the reach of every class.— George Bancroft
2. Belonging or relating to the common people, as distinguished from the cultivated or educated; pertaining to common life; plebeian; not select or distinguished; hence, sometimes, of little or no value. “Like the vulgar sort of market men.” William Shakespeare
Men who have passed all their time in low and vulgar life.— Joseph Addison
In reading an account of a battle, we follow the hero with our whole attention, but seldom reflect on the vulgar heaps of slaughter.— Rambler, The
3. Hence, lacking cultivation or refinement; rustic; boorish; also, offensive to good taste or refined feelings; low; coarse; mean; base; as, vulgar men, minds, language, or manners.
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.— William Shakespeare
Vulgar fraction. Arith. See under Fraction.
Origin: Cf. F. vulgaire.
1. One of the common people; a vulgar person. obsolete
These vile vulgars are extremely proud.— George Chapman
2. The vernacular, or common language. obsolete
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54