rough-edged
UK[ˌrʌf ˈedʒd]US[ˌrʌf ˈedʒd]
adj
Having a rough, uneven, or jagged edge or surface.
adj
(of a person or their manner) Lacking smoothness, polish, or refinement; coarse or unpolished.
Morpheme Breakdown
rough
edge
ed
rough
shaggy, hairy, coarse.
edge
corner, brink, blade.
ed
having, provided with.
Etymology
The compound adjective 'rough-edged' is a transparent combination of native English elements. Its first component, 'rough', originates from the Old English rūh, a word of Germanic descent describing an uneven, shaggy, or coarse texture. The second element, 'edge', derives from the Old English ecg, which referred to the sharp side of a blade or a border. The adjectival suffix '-ed' is appended to the noun 'edge' to create the sense of "possessing an edge" of a particular quality. Thus, the literal meaning "having a rough edge" evolved naturally to describe both physical objects and, metaphorically, personalities or styles that are unrefined or lacking in smooth sophistication.
Analysis
Structure: rough + edge + ed
- rough: From Old English rūh, meaning "shaggy, hairy, coarse." It functions as the core adjective describing the quality.
- edge: From Old English ecg, meaning "corner, brink, blade." It functions as a noun specifying the location or aspect.
- ed: A suffix from Old English -ede, used to form adjectives from nouns, meaning "having, provided with."
Examples
The craftsman carefully smoothed the rough-edged piece of timber.
His rough-edged charm was more appealing than polished insincerity.
The old, rough-edged pages of the book showed its age.