gauche
gohsh
/ɡoʊʃ/
Lacking ease or grace; unsophisticated and socially awkward.
Specifically refers to social clumsiness, tactlessness, or awkward behavior rather than physical clumsiness.
The story behind the word. In French, gauche literally means 'left' (as in the left hand). Historically, left-handedness was associated with clumsiness, bad luck, or deviousness (a prejudice reflected in many languages, like Latin sinister). Thus, gauche became a French, and later English, term for someone who is socially clumsy or 'left-handed' in their manners.
Word relationships
- awkward: Awkward can refer to physical clumsiness or general discomfort, whereas gauche specifically implies a lack of social polish and sophistication.
- urbane: Urbane describes someone who is highly sophisticated, polished, and socially smooth.
Commonly confused with
- gouache: Gouache is a method of painting using opaque watercolors, while gauche is social awkwardness.
Word family
- gaucherie (noun): Socially awkward or tactless behavior.
Collocations
- gauche behavior
- gauche remark
- feel gauche
Example sentences
- "It would be gauche to mention the cost of the gift in front of the other guests." Describing a social blunder
Memory hook
Think of 'gauche' sounding like 'gosh!'—which is what people whisper when you make a terrible social blunder. 'Gosh, that was gauche!'
When not to use
Don't use to describe a physically broken object; it's about social behavior and manners.
Fun facts
- The opposite of gauche in French is droit (right), which gives us the English word adroit, meaning clever or skillful.
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