rough-hewn

The compound adjective "rough-hewn" is a purely English formation, combining two native Germanic elements. "Rough" originates from the Old English rūh, which described a shaggy or coarse texture, a sense preserved in its modern meaning. "Hewn" derives from the Old English verb hēawan, meaning to cut or chop, particularly with force, as in felling trees or quarrying stone. The literal sense, describing material shaped with basic tools leaving visible marks, naturally extended to a figurative sense for people or behavior perceived as unrefined, as if not finely finished or polished by social conventions.

Structure: rough (coarse/uneven) + hewn (cut/shaped) - rough: From Old English rūh, meaning "shaggy, hairy, coarse, untrimmed." It functions as an adjective describing a coarse, uneven, or unfinished quality. - hewn: Past participle of the verb hew, from Old English hēawan, meaning "to cut, strike, carve." It functions as a participial adjective indicating the action of shaping or cutting.