Having a rough, harsh, or stern manner of speaking or behaving. Characterized by a low, rough voice or unfriendly demeanor.
From Dutch 'grof' meaning coarse or rough, related to German 'grob'. The word entered English in the 16th century and originally described physical roughness before extending to vocal and behavioral characteristics.
The word 'gruff' perfectly captures how we associate vocal texture with personality - someone with a rough, gravelly voice is often perceived as having a rough personality, even though this isn't always true. This linguistic connection between sound and character appears in many languages.
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