Definition

Noun: A person, especially one who is wealthy, whose behavior, manners, or taste are considered crude, unrefined, or ostentatious. The term often implies a lack of sophistication and a tendency to display wealth in a tasteless or showy way.

Usage

The word "vulgarian" is a noun used to describe a person, typically one with newly acquired wealth, who exhibits coarse or pretentious behavior. It carries a strong negative connotation of criticism and disdain. It is a formal or literary term.

Examples

• The new millionaire was considered a vulgarian by the old-money families for his gaudy mansion and loud parties.
• She dismissed him as a vulgarian after he boasted about the price of his car throughout the dinner.
• The novel satirizes the vulgarian who buys expensive art not from appreciation, but solely for status.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in social commentary to critique the intersection of wealth and poor taste.
• It can be applied more broadly to anyone who is perceived as being ostentatiously crude, not exclusively the wealthy, though the association with wealth is strong.

Variants and Related Words

• Vulgar (adj): Lacking sophistication or good taste; unrefined. This is the adjective from which "vulgarian" is derived.
  • He made a vulgar joke.
• Vulgarity (n): The state or quality of being vulgar.
  • The vulgarity of the display was shocking.

Synonyms

• Boor: A rough and bad-mannered person.
• Philistine: A person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts.
• Nouveau riche: (French, often used in English) A person who has recently become rich and is perceived as lacking the taste or manners of the established upper class. This is a very close synonym but focuses more on the newness of the wealth.
• Parvenu: A person of obscure origin who has gained wealth or position, often used disparagingly.

Antonyms

• Aristocrat
• Sophisticate
• Connoisseur

Idioms and Phrases

• To be a vulgarian at heart: To have an inherently unrefined or coarse nature, regardless of one's circumstances.
  • Despite his education, he remained a vulgarian at heart, always preferring spectacle over substance.

Noun

1. a vulgar person (especially someone who makes a vulgar display of wealth)