churl
UK: tʃɜːl | US: tʃɜːrl
n. 1. A rude, ill-bred person; a boor.
n. 2. (Historical) A peasant or rustic, especially in medieval England.
n. 3. (Archaic) A miserly or stingy person.
The word "churl" traces back to Old English ceorl, meaning a free peasant of the lowest rank in Anglo-Saxon society. Over time, its meaning shifted from a neutral social class term to a pejorative descriptor, reflecting societal disdain for rural or unrefined behavior. By the Middle English period, it acquired connotations of rudeness and miserliness, influenced by feudal hierarchies and urban elitism. The modern sense of "boorishness" emerged as class attitudes hardened.
The nobleman sneered at the churl who dared to speak without permission.
In medieval tales, the churl often symbolizes ignorance contrasted with knightly virtue.
Don’t act like a churl—hold the door for others.
His churlish refusal to share earned him no friends.
The term "churl" originally described a social rank, not a personality trait.