Word of the day · 13 August 2026
brusque
/brʊsk/
adjective
Abrupt or blunt in speech or manner, often to the point of rudeness.
In a sentence
- His brusque reply ended the call in under a minute.
- A brusque security guard waved them through without looking up.
- She regretted the brusque note and sent a fuller apology.
In an image
Origin
From French brusque, from Italian brusco (coarse, sharp), possibly from Latin bruscum (a knot on a maple).
History
English borrowed brusque in the 1600s for rough, tart manners. It often describes efficiency that forgets courtesy. Workplace writing still uses it when feedback lands too hard. The word marks tone more than content: the facts may be fine, the delivery is not.
Nearby words
curt · blunt · abrupt
Short answers that skip the soft landing.