Boor
/bʊr/
nounB2
Definition
A boor is someone who acts without good manners or politeness. This person may be loud, insensitive, or awkward in social situations, often making others feel uncomfortable because they do not follow normal social rules.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
A person with bad manners or rude behavior
- •He acted like a boor at the dinner table, talking with his mouth full.
- •The boor ignored the hostess’s polite requests and kept shouting.
- •Nobody wanted to sit next to the boor because he was so unpleasant.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "boor" like "rude person," but stronger and more about bad manners than just being mean
- ✓Picture someone talking loudly and interrupting others without caring about feelings
- ✓It's the feeling when someone ignores polite behavior, making a group feel uneasy or annoyed
- ✓Sounds like "boor" → imagine a loud, rough person "booring" into a quiet room, breaking the calm
- ✓In stories, a boor is often the character who spoils a nice party by being loud or careless
- ✓NOT like "mean" (which is about wanting to hurt), a boor may not want to hurt but just doesn't know polite behavior
- ✓NOT like "shy" (quiet and careful), a boor is often loud, careless, or socially awkward
Try Other Words
- •Rude person: someone who is not polite (Use when the focus is on impoliteness in general)
- •Lout: a person who is rough and not polite, often physically strong (Use when the person is also physically rough or clumsy)
- •Oaf: a clumsy or stupid person, often rude (Use when the person is both rude and awkward)
- •Churl: a person who is rude and mean (Use in formal or old-fashioned contexts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix; a simple root word)
- •Etymology: From Middle Dutch "boer," meaning "farmer" or "peasant," originally describing a rough, unsophisticated person
- •Historical development: The word changed from meaning "peasant" to meaning someone with bad manners or rude behavior in English since the 1500s
- •Modern usage: Used to describe people who are socially unpleasant or rude, often in a formal or literary way
Reflect & Connect
•Can someone be a boor without meaning to be rude? How can we tell the difference?
•How does culture affect what behavior is seen as boorish or rude?
Fill in the blanks
1.The man was called a boor because he did not ___ to the rules of polite conversation.
2.When someone is a boor, they often ___ other people's feelings without thinking.
3.Unlike a shy person, a boor usually ___ attention by being loud or rude.
4.To avoid being called a boor, you should ___ good manners and listen carefully.
5.The hostess was upset because the boor ___ her polite requests and kept interrupting.
6.People often feel uncomfortable around a boor because of their ___ behavior.
7.A boor might ___ a quiet room by speaking loudly or acting carelessly.