noun

churl

CHURL/tʃɜːrl/

A person regarded as ill-mannered or ungenerous.

The churl puts dirty shoes beside another diner's meal and dismisses the objection.

At a small café table, a man lounges with his dirty shoes on the tabletop beside another diner's meal, chewing with his mouth open and dismissively waving away the visibly offended diner.

Etymology

churlOld Englishpeasant, freeman without rank

Ceorl named a peasant or freeman without rank. The word shifted from describing low social standing to criticizing rude manners, turning a social label into a personal insult.

More examples

Only a churl would insult such a generous host.
He behaved like a churl, refusing to share even a small contribution.
She dismissed his rude reply as the work of a churl.

Forms

churl · churls

Similar words

boor: A boor is socially insensitive; churl can also emphasize ungenerous behavior.