crudity: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2 / LowFormal, Literary, Academic, Critical
Quick answer
What does “crudity” mean?
The quality of being rough, simple, or in an unrefined, raw, or natural state.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality of being rough, simple, or in an unrefined, raw, or natural state; lack of sophistication or polish.
The quality of being offensively coarse, crude, or blunt in manner, expression, or thought.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Slightly more common in British formal/academic writing.
Connotations
Equally negative in both variants, implying a lack of refinement or elegance.
Frequency
A low-frequency word in both dialects, found more in written critique than spoken language.
Grammar
How to Use “crudity” in a Sentence
crudity of [NP] (e.g., crudity of the tools)crudity in [NP/V-ing] (e.g., crudity in his remarks)crudity and [NP] (e.g., crudity and violence)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crudity” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The sculpture was praised for its power, despite the evident crudity of its execution.
- The critic was appalled by the sheer crudity of the political cartoon's message.
- The early prototypes showed a certain charming crudity.
American English
- The documentary didn't shy away from the crudity of life in the frontier settlements.
- His apology was undermined by the crudity of his original remarks.
- The software's crudity made it difficult for new users to adopt.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could be used in critical reports about simplistic or unprofessional models or strategies.
Academic
Common in critiques of art, literature, philosophy, or historical analysis to describe undeveloped forms or ideas.
Everyday
Very rare. Would sound overly formal.
Technical
Used in art criticism, literary theory, anthropology to describe primitive stages or lack of sophistication.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “crudity”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “crudity”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crudity”
- Using 'crudity' to mean a crude *thing* (it's a quality). Confusing it with 'crudeness' (more common, often behavioural). Overusing in spoken language. Misspelling as 'crudety' or 'cruditiy'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but 'crudity' is the noun form describing the abstract *quality* of being crude. 'Crude' is the adjective.
Rarely. It is almost always negative or neutral-descriptive. In some artistic contexts, it might be seen as 'primitivist' or deliberately unsophisticated, which could be a positive stylistic choice.
They are often interchangeable. 'Crudeness' is more common and can lean slightly more towards behavioural coarseness or rudeness. 'Crudity' is slightly more formal and often used for abstract, systemic, or artistic lack of refinement.
It's pronounced KROO-duh-tee, with the stress on the first syllable, in both British and American English.
The quality of being rough, simple, or in an unrefined, raw, or natural state.
Crudity is usually formal, literary, academic, critical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated with 'crudity'.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of CRUDE OIL: it's raw, unrefined, and needs processing. 'Crudity' is the quality of being crude.
Conceptual Metaphor
CULTIVATION IS REFINEMENT; lack of cultivation is crudity. (e.g., 'The crudity of his arguments showed he hadn't cultivated his thoughts.')
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'crudity' LEAST likely to be used?