Definition of 'vulgar'
1. adjective
If you describe something as vulgar, you think it is in bad taste or of poor artistic quality.
[disapproval]2. adjective
If you describe pictures, gestures, or remarks as vulgar, you dislike them because they refer to sex or parts of the body in an offensive way that you find unpleasant.
[disapproval]
3. adjective
If you describe a person or their behavior as vulgar, you mean that they lack taste or behave offensively.
[disapproval]vulgarity uncountable noun
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
vulgar in American English
adjective
1.
of, characteristic of, belonging to, or common to the great mass of people in general; common; popular
a vulgar superstition
2.
3.
a.
characterized by a lack of culture, refinement, taste, restraint, sensitivity, etc.; coarse; crude; boorish
SIMILAR WORDS: coarse, ˈcommon
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
vulgarly (ˈvulgarly)
adverb
Word origin
ME < L vularis < vulgus, volgus, the common people < IE base *wel-, to crowd, throng > Gr eilein, to press, swarm
Word Frequency
vulgar in American English
(ˈvʌlɡər)
adjective
5.
current; popular; common
a vulgar success
vulgar beliefs
noun
SYNONYMS 1. unrefined, inelegant, low, coarse, ribald. See common. 3. boorish, rude. 6. colloquial.8. archaic
the common people
9. obsolete
the vernacular
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
vulgarly adverb
vulgarness
noun
Word origin
[1350–1400; ME ‹ L vulgāris, equiv. to vulg(us) the general public + -āris -ar1]Word Frequency
vulgar in British English
adjective
2. (often capital; usually prenominal)
3. archaic
a.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
vulgarly (ˈvulgarly) adverb
Word origin
C14: from Latin vulgāris belonging to the multitude, from vulgus the common people
Trends of
vulgar
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In other languages
vulgar
British English: vulgar
/ˈvʌlɡə/ ADJECTIVE
If you describe something as vulgar, you think it is in bad taste or of poor artistic quality.
I think it's a very vulgar house.
- American English: vulgar /ˈvʌlgər/
- Arabic: سُوْقِيّ
- Brazilian Portuguese: vulgar
- Chinese: 粗俗的
- Croatian: vulgaran
- Czech: nevkusný
- Danish: vulgær
- Dutch: vulgair
- European Spanish: vulgar
- Finnish: rahvaanomainen
- French: vulgaire
- German: vulgär
- Greek: χυδαίος
- Italian: volgare
- Japanese: 低俗な
- Korean: 저속한
- Norwegian: vulgær
- Polish: wulgarny
- European Portuguese: ordinário
- Romanian: vulgar
- Russian: вульгарный
- Spanish: vulgar
- Swedish: vulgär
- Thai: หยาบ, ขาดความประณีต
- Turkish: kaba insan
- Ukrainian: вульгарний
- Vietnamese: tục tĩu
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Definition of vulgar from the Collins English Dictionary
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