'coarse-faced' originates from English, constructed from the adjective 'coarse' + the noun 'face' with the adjectival suffix '-ed', where 'coarse' meant 'rough, not refined' and 'face' meant 'appearance or visage'.

'coarse' was used in Middle English (spelled variously as 'corse'/'cors(e)') to mean 'rough' or 'common', while 'face' comes from Old French 'face' and ultimately Latin 'facies' meaning 'appearance'; the compound adjective 'coarse-faced' arose in Modern English as a descriptive formation combining these elements.

Initially, the components conveyed 'rough' (coarse) and 'appearance' (face); over time the compound came to be used specifically to describe a person whose facial features or expression appear coarse, harsh, or unrefined.