coarsens
|coars/en|
🇺🇸
/ˈkɔrsən/
🇬🇧
/ˈkɔːs(ə)n/
(coarsen)
becoming rough
Etymology
'coarsen' originates from the adjective 'coarse' + the verb-forming suffix '-en', where '-en' meant 'make or become'.
'coarse' developed in Middle English from Old French forms (e.g. 'cors'/'coars') meaning 'rough, rude'; English formed the verb 'coarsen' by adding the suffix '-en' to this adjective.
Initially it meant 'to make rough or crude'; over time it has retained that primary meaning and also came to be used for making manners or language less refined.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
makes something physically rougher or less finely divided; increases the size of particles or the roughness of texture.
Over time, the river current coarsens the sand on the bank.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/21 17:39