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Glite Dictionary
roughhewn

roughhewn

8.2
Stone or wood that has a not smooth surface made with simple tools
  • adjective
  • /ˈrʌfˌhjun/
translation icon : tosco
  • The cabin was built from roughhewn logs, giving it a rustic and unrefined appearance.
  • roughhewn stone

Examples

  • Light and shadow flickered confusingly over roughhewn stone.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Either teachers like the emergent, roughhewn character of this humor, or they don't.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Wartime tarts rub elbows with roughhewn country women in print dresses.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The artist chose to use roughhewn wood in his sculpture for a more natural look.

  • The old bridge was made of roughhewn stone, showing the marks of its unfinished edges.

Synonyms

rough
vsroughhewn
164 1.0

Not smooth and often harsh in sound

is specific to shaped materials and their unfinished making
hand-hewn
vsroughhewn
1 7.8

Made by hand with an axe or chisel, often rough

focuses on unfinished shaping rather than the manual method
rough-cut
vsroughhewn
  • Specialized
4.9

Shaped but not smoothed or fully finished

is more general about lacking smoothness and refinement
rough-textured
vsroughhewn
3.7

A surface that feels bumpy or not smooth to the touch

describes shaped materials with an unfinished form rather than only texture
roughened
vsroughhewn
4.1

A surface like skin that is not smooth and feels dry from cold or wind

is about deliberate shaping into an unfinished form not weather damage

Antonyms

polished
26 2.1

A shiny, smooth surface after being rubbed or cleaned

finished
  • Specialized
1 1.0

Made and ready to use or sell, often with a smooth surface

How Rough

roughhewn
8.2
raw
  • Specialized
12 2.4
finished
  • Specialized
1 1.0

Surface Forms

roughhewn positive

Morphology

roughhewn = rough + hewn (transparent) = rough + hewn

The adjective is a literal combination of 'rough' + 'hewn' (past-participle adjective), so its meaning is directly derived from the components.

Etymology

Roughhewn combines rough and hewn. The hewn part comes from the verb hew, which means 'to cut', so roughhewn literally means 'roughly cut' and is used for stone, wood, or a face that is not smooth or finished.