Late Middle English; earliest use found in Geoffrey Chaucer (c1340–1400), poet and administrator. Originally from Anglo-Norman rudesce, Middle French rudesse (French rudesse) harshness, coarseness, simplicity, rusticity, ignorance, lack of education, quality of being disgusting from rude + -esse. In later use reborrowed from French rudesse. Compare Old Occitan rudeza, Catalan rudesa, Spanish rudeza, Portuguese rudeza, Italian rudezza.