Is “Couth” a Word?

Is couth a word?
Language is dynamic, and today’s slang becomes tomorrow’s accepted dictionary word. To answer the question, “Is ‘couth’ is a word?” we’ll have to go on a journey through time and the English language. Buckle your safety belt; it’s going to be an interesting ride. For those looking for a general answer, “couth” is becoming recognized as a real word as it appears in more and more dictionaries, but it isn’t universally accepted as a word at this time.

Couth in the Beginning

Long, long ago, the word “couth” was used to describe a person or group of people who was familiar. The opposite of that word, “uncouth” was used to describe a foreign or unknown person, usually with habits that were unfamiliar to the couth. Now, most of us aren’t comfortable with foreign habits and mores, and the meaning of the word “uncouth” began to morph into a term for those with bad manners. Meanwhile “couth” gradually fell out of common usage, became archaic, and was forgotten altogether.

Uncouth and a Joke

By the time people got around to writing full English dictionaries, only one word remained, “uncouth.” Now usually, a word featuring an “un” is attached to another word, and the prefix makes it mean the opposite thing, but “uncouth” was a peculiar anomaly because “couth” wasn’t an accepted word at all, at least, not in modern parlance.

It seems most likely that introducing “couth” as a word describing someone with good manners, initially started out as a joke. “Haven’t you got no couth?” someone would ask before dissolving into gales of laughter at their own wit. It could even be that people looking for an impressive-sounding word for “good manners” decided that “couth” was the logical opposite of “uncouth.” If they did, people would have laughed at their ignorance because they were all too palpably wrong.

Couth Becomes More Real

Here’s the funny thing. Whether as a joke or not, the word “couth” began to be used more and more in its new context. It still wasn’t completely accepted, but it was a word people used, and words people use become part of the language. It’s the natural order of things. The average English speaker from a few hundred years ago probably wouldn’t understand half of what we say, while we would certainly struggle to understand him. That’s because words and word usages keep changing all the time.

Not all that long ago, you wouldn’t have found the word “couth” in any dictionary, but today, you’ll find it in quite a few. Some will note it has a “humorous” origin, while others appear to take it perfectly seriously. But there are still dictionaries that don’t contain the word at all and don’t accept it as a proper English word. Who is right?

So, Is Couth a Real Word?

“Couth” is becoming more accepted as an English word, but it isn’t universally accepted at this time. It is by no means the only English word to be formed from a mistaken assumption. A source I looked at pointed out that “burgle” was only coined in the 19th century on the assumption that “burgling” is what a burglar does. Today, it’s 100% acceptable as a word, but I think we need to be a bit cautious with our couth. It’s still a little bit on the new side of acceptable.

Will Couth Become a Real Word?

We don’t know. It may fall into disuse and join its predecessor form of “couth” in the archives of little known and seldom remembered language, or it might stick, and become a perfectly serious word that is much quicker and easier to type or say than “well-mannered.” Who will decide? The popular vote of course. How do we vote for a word? By using it when we speak and write. For now, I would recommend using “couth” in its humorous context only and not including it in any formal essays or reports, at least for the present. After all, you wouldn’t want to end up in a heated argument with a teacher who subscribes to the idea that “couth” just doesn’t cut it as a word, and that it was uncouth, or at least ignorant, of you to include it in your essay.

  • Couth is not a word. The types of dictionaries that list it as a word aren’t real dictionaries — they are Internet or slang dictionaries. I’ve never seen couth used in any type of writing where it would be considered a word.

    • If people use couth, then it’s a word. The fact that there are some dictionaries that include it just verifies this. it doesn’t matter if they aren’t the dictionaries you deem as “good” English is a living language and is always changing. People use couth and people understand its meaning, it’s a word.

    • So Oxford and Websters dictionaries aren’t real dictionaries? They’re just slang internet dictionaries?

  • Very good article. I feel there are a number of words like “couth” that I have heard recently that don’t seem to be real words, but people know the meaning of the word. Does that make sense?

  • Couth just seems extremely strange for me to even say. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it actually used in a real conversation although I have heard on to uncouth many times. Is this really a thing?

  • hmmm. If “couth” formerly meant someone familiar or part of the group, is it then possible that it evolved into the word “kith”, as in “kith and kin”? (mayhaps its usage dates to the Middle English?)

  • My 21 year old daughter uses the word “couth” all of the time. She seems to be quite fond of it. However, her personality is quite “uncouth” and she’ll be the first to admit it. For a 21 year old girl to use an old-world term, to me, is beautiful in and of itself. What passes as acceptable English language today, is quite scary. Instructors in college even speak with modern euphemisms that seem unprofessional, at best. Quite distasteful in my opinion, but tact is also a lost art in modern day language.

  • It doesn’t so much mean manners or sophistication society w use anymore as it does mean as more emotional verbal … couth, ability to choose to think above small minded stigma.. couth, a quality of one who holds value in basic respect restraint and honor in the manner that one speaks

  • May i know where the word ‘couth’ is originally from? or is it common in american or britain?

  • I am in my thirties and I hear my peers use “couth” as similar to “tact”. Sometimes I even hear “he has no couth” rather than “he is uncouth”. Interesting to see the adjective-ness morphing into noun-ness. From the usage I’m exposed to in my specific place/time, I actually expect “uncouth” to fall out of use in favor of various forms of “lacking couth”. This seems to be common among moderately articulate, non-highly educated people (to which I attach no value judgment; some of my friends and loved ones are the people I’m talking about here). But it isn’t the most articulate and/or educated people who steer the language ship most of the time; it’s the majority of speakers.

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