coarse and course are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. coarse means “of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles”. course means “education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings”. course is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkɔɹs/
1.adj.of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles
“coarse meal”
2.adj.lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
“he had coarse manners but a first-rate mind”
3.adj.of low or inferior quality or value
“of what coarse metal ye are molded”
/ˈkɔɹs/
| coarse | course | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɔɹs/ | /ˈkɔɹs/ |
| Said | kawrs | kawrs |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | adjective | noun, verb, adverb |
| Senses | 3 | 13 |
| How common | Familiar | Core |
| Synonyms | harsh | course of study, course of instruction, class |
Full entry for coarse · Full entry for course · More comparisons
1.n.education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
“he took a course in basket weaving”
2.n.a connected series of events or actions or developments
“the government took a firm course”
3.n.general line of orientation
“the river takes a southern course”