Word: gauche (adjective)

Associations

"Gauche" means socially awkward or lacking grace, especially in social situations. It often describes someone who behaves in a way that is not polite or is clumsy in manners.

• Example 1: "His gauche comment embarrassed everyone at the party." Here, it means the comment was awkward or inappropriate.
• Example 2: "She felt gauche trying to dance with the experienced dancers." This means she felt clumsy or awkward.
• Example 3: "The new employee's gauche behavior made a bad impression." This means the employee was socially awkward or not smooth in interactions.

A well-known synonym is "awkward." The difference is that "gauche" often implies a lack of social grace or tact, while "awkward" can refer more broadly to physical clumsiness or uncomfortable situations.

Substitution

You can replace "gauche" with words like "awkward," "clumsy," "uncouth," or "inelegant," depending on the context.

• "Awkward" is more general.
• "Uncouth" emphasizes rudeness or lack of refinement.
• "Inelegant" focuses on lack of style or grace.

Deconstruction

The word "gauche" comes from French, where it means "left" or "left-handed." Historically, being left-handed was sometimes seen as clumsy or unlucky, which is why "gauche" came to mean awkward or lacking grace in English. There is no prefix or suffix in English; it is borrowed directly from French.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you or someone else acted "gauche" in a social situation?
• How might "gauche" behavior affect relationships or first impressions?
• Is there a difference between being "gauche" and simply being shy or nervous? How so?