What does brusque mean?
Brusque describes a manner of speaking or behaving that is abruptly short, offhand, and lacking in warmth or ceremony — often to the point of seeming rude. A brusque person answers questions tersely, waves away pleasantries, and gets straight to the point without softening the edges. The word most often modifies abstract nouns such as manner, tone, reply, or treatment: one might receive a brusque email from a busy executive or be treated in a brusque fashion at a government office. Its connotation is generally negative, implying discourtesy rather than mere efficiency, though it can occasionally suggest a no-nonsense directness that some find refreshing. Brusque entered English in the seventeenth century from French, ultimately tracing to a root meaning rough or coarse, and it remains a precise, useful word for distinguishing deliberate curtness from simple brevity.
adjectiveAbrupt or offhand in speech or manner, to the point of seeming rude; briskly curt without much ceremony or warmth.
- (of a person or their manner) Abrupt and offhand in speech or manner; curt to the point of rudeness.
"Her brusque reply made it clear she had no time for small talk."
"The doctor was brilliant but famously brusque with patients who asked too many questions."
""Not now," he said with a brusque wave of his hand, already turning back to his desk."
"Brusque" and the English word "brute" both trace back to the same Latin idea of roughness — so calling someone brusque is, etymologically speaking, calling them a bit brutish.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of brusque
Brusque was borrowed into English in the early seventeenth century from French brusque, meaning lively or fierce, which itself derives from Italian brusco, meaning sour or sharp-tasting. The Italian term traces back to a Late Latin adjective bruscus, related to the notion of something coarse or rough like brushwood. English cognates sharing this lineage include brute and bruise, all pointing back to the underlying sense of roughness.
Related word forms
How brusque is actually used
Brusque is a formal-to-neutral register word, common in journalism and literary description. It carries a mildly negative connotation — it suggests not just brevity but a lack of courtesy — though it is sometimes used almost admiringly of people who are efficient and intolerant of fuss. It typically describes manner, tone, replies, or treatment rather than physical actions.
Easily confused with brusque
"Brisk" means quick and energetic in a positive way, while "brusque" implies an abrupt, potentially rude curtness of manner.