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course and coarse - the difference




'Coarse' means rough or crude.
Most commonly, 'course' means:

(1) a series of educational lessons (e.g., a French course).
(2) A direction (e.g., That's an odd course to take.)

More meanings below...

 

The words coarse and course sound identical, but their meanings are very different.

Coarse

The adjective coarse means rough, crude, of low quality or not fine in texture.
 

coarse sand
coarse manners
Perch - a type of coarse fish (not as refined as trout or salmon, which are classified as game fish)

Course

The word course has many meanings. It can be an adjective, noun or verb.
 
Education delivered in a series of lessons 

I took a speed-reading course and read 'War and Peace' in twenty minutes. It involves Russia. (Woody Allen)

English course.

Also, the students who attend

You have been an excellent course.
A direction.

A southerly course.

The river changed course.

A series of events.

The government took an unexpected course.

A course of action.
To move (of liquids and ships).

The German ships coursed the Baltic.

The stream coursed through the peat bog.  
Part of a meal.

We're having a three-course meal. The first course is white bait or mussels.
To hunt with dogs.

Hare coursing. To course after hares.
Naturally.

of course
Area of land (or water) for sport.

Golf course.
Skiing course.
 
Select the correct version:

 
ARSE IS COARSE 

The British word 'arse' is quite vulgar. In fact, it is coarse.  It can, however, serve as a reminder for the meaning of 'coarse'.

arse ass

See also:

What are adjectives?
What are nouns?
What are verbs?
List of easily confused words

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