Crude
/kruːd/
Definitions
2 meaningsIn a natural or raw state; not processed or refined.
/kruːd/
The crude oil was transported to the refinery for processing.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're making cookies, and you have all the ingredients, but they're just in their bags and boxes, not mixed together. That's kind of like something that's 'crude': it hasn't been changed or made fancy yet. Like, we can say 'crude oil' is oil that comes straight out of the ground and hasn't been cleaned up.
👶 For kids: Not made or cleaned up yet, like raw materials.
More Examples
The sculptor used crude materials to create the artwork.
The report presented crude statistics without further analysis.
How It's Used
"Crude oil is a major source of energy."
"The factory processed the crude materials into finished goods."
Lacking sophistication or refinement.
/kruːd/
The crude gestures offended the other guests.
💡 Simply: Think of someone who doesn't have good manners or something that's not very detailed or well-made. Like, 'crude drawings' look like something a kid made, and someone can have 'crude behavior' by burping out loud at the dinner table or not knowing how to act properly.
👶 For kids: Not polite or not very well-made.
More Examples
The prototype was a crude model of the device.
His writing style was a little crude.
How It's Used
"The painting had a crude style, with bold brushstrokes."
"His crude jokes were offensive to the audience."
From Latin *crudus* meaning 'raw, bloody, unripe'.
The term 'crude' has been used since the late 16th century, initially referring to a raw or unformed state.