couth
couth Lexical Profile
couth Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Cultured, refined, and well-mannered (usually used humorously).
"After spending the summer at a finishing school, the unruly teenager returned home surprisingly couth and polite."
Scottish Known, familiar, or pleasant (archaic or Scottish).
"The weary travelers sought shelter in a couth and welcoming village along the coast."
• noun
Culture, refinement, or good manners (usually used humorously).
"He complained that the loud guests at the neighboring table had no couth whatsoever."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although originally an Old English word, modern usage of 'couth' as both an adjective and a noun is almost always humorous or ironic, revived in the 20th century as a playful back-formation from 'uncouth'.
• Rhymes for couth
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'cūth' meaning 'known' or 'familiar' (the past participle of 'cunnan', to know); its modern sense of 'cultured' was re-coined in the late 19th century as a humorous back-formation from 'uncouth'.