What does coarsely mean?
"Coarsely" is an adverb meaning in a rough, uneven, or unrefined way. Its dominant use today is in cooking and crafts: ingredients are described as coarsely chopped, coarsely ground, or coarsely grated when they have been cut into large, irregular pieces rather than fine ones, giving a dish a rustic texture and bursts of flavour. The word also describes fabric or surfaces that are roughly woven or finished, and it can characterise speech or behaviour that is crude, vulgar, or lacking in polish — though this figurative sense now sounds somewhat formal. Coarsely derives from "coarse", which itself likely developed from "course", in the sense of ordinary or common cloth as opposed to finer grades. Its opposite is "finely". Whether describing a handful of cracked peppercorns or an ill-mannered remark, the word consistently conveys a lack of fineness or refinement.
In a rough, uneven, or coarse manner; into large, thick pieces rather than fine ones.
"Season the steak generously with coarsely ground pepper."
Most frequently used in recipes and descriptions of texture.
(Of speech or behaviour) in a rude, vulgar, or unrefined manner.
"He was rebuked for joking coarsely at the formal dinner."
Ask for pepper 'coarsely ground' and you're literally asking the chef to leave it crude — the word traces back to Latin 'crassus', meaning fat, thick, or gross.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coarsely
"Coarsely" is formed from the adjective "coarse" plus the adverbial suffix "-ly". "Coarse" appeared in English in the late Middle Ages, apparently as a phonetic variant of "course", reflecting the notion of cloth of ordinary or standard quality as opposed to fine grades. The ultimate root is often traced to Latin "cursus", meaning a running or course, though the exact development is uncertain. Related forms include "coarseness" and the verb "coarsen".
Related word forms
How coarsely is actually used
By far the most common modern usage is culinary and material — recipes constantly specify ingredients as coarsely chopped, ground, or grated to indicate large, uneven pieces. The behavioural sense (speaking or behaving coarsely) carries a negative connotation and sounds somewhat formal or literary today; 'rudely' or 'vulgarly' are more common in everyday speech. Note that 'coarsely' rhymes with 'hoarsely' but the two words are unrelated in meaning.
Easily confused with coarsely
Coarse is the adjective describing something rough in texture or vulgar in manner, while coarsely is the adverb describing how an action is performed.