Dictionary

churly en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈtʃɜːli/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈt͡ʃɝli/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English cherly, cherlich, cherllich, charlyche, equivalent to churl + -ly, but often interpreted as churl + -y. Compare English churlish.

Meanings

1. (archaic) rude; churlish; violent
   • He was the churliest of the churls; Little he cared for king or earls; Bitter as home-brewed ale were his foaming passions 1863 November 23, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Musician’s Tale. The Saga of King Olaf.”, in Tales of a Wayside Inn, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC:

Forms