churl Meaning & Definition
What Does Churl Mean?
As a noun, churl means A free peasant (as opposed to a serf) of the low rank, below an earl and a thane; a freeman; also , a person without royal or noble status; a commoner. A bondsman or serf. It can also mean A free peasant (as opposed to a serf) of the low rank, below an earl and a thane; a freeman; also , a person without royal or noble status; a commoner.
Churl at a Glance
| Part of speech | noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /tʃɜːl/ |
| Synonyms | crank, tyke and grouch |
| Plural | churls |
Churl Definition (Noun)
- A free peasant (as opposed to a serf) of the low rank, below an earl and a thane; a freeman; also , a person without royal or noble status; a commoner. A bondsman or serf.
- A free peasant (as opposed to a serf) of the low rank, below an earl and a thane; a freeman; also , a person without royal or noble status; a commoner.
- A bondsman or serf.
- A rough, surly, ill-bred person; a boor.
- A countryman, a peasant, a rustic.
- A person who is stingy, especially with money; a selfish miser, a niggard.
- A freedman, rank below a thane but above a thrall.
Synonyms of Churl
Churl synonyms and antonyms →Word Forms & Grammar
churl (plural churls)
Words That Rhyme With Churl
Origin of Churl
Origin 1: Inherited from West Midland Middle English churle (“person not of the nobility or clergy; serf, servant, simpleton, fellow”, East Midland Middle English cherl),[1] from Old English ċeorl (“freeman ranking below a thane but above a thrall; commoner, peasant; countryman, husbandman; man; husband”), from Proto-West Germanic *kerl, from Proto-Germanic *karilaz (“elder; man”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵerh₂- (“to grow old; to mature”).[2] Doublet of carl / carle, ceorl, and karl.
Origin 2: Sense 2.1 is probably an extension of senses 1.1 and 2.2. Sense 2.3 was influenced by Nabal, a rich man who is described in the King James Version of the Bible as “churlish and evil in his doings”;[3] when he is asked to give provisions to David’s men, he replies, “Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? There be many servants nowadays that break away every man from his master. Shall I then take my bread and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?” (1 Samuel 25:3 and 10–11; spelling modernized).[2][4]
Churl: Your Questions Answered
What part of speech is churl?
Churl is a noun.
What is another word for churl?
Words with a similar meaning to churl include crank, tyke and grouch. See the full list of churl synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of churl?
The plural of churl is churls.