1. A reference to behaving in an awkward or inappropriate way in a social situation: Having forgotten how to curtsey properly, Marilyn had a very gauche feeling when she was presented to the hostess.
2. Conveying or showing a lack of awareness about the proper way to behave with other people: Others thought that Joe displayed his gauche attitude when he asled the older woman, whom he just met, how old she was.

Mike showed his gauche behavior when he spoke to the president of the company as "Old Buddy".

3. Etymology: "awkward, tactless"; from French gauche, "awkward, left-handed, left"; originally, "awkward, awry" from Middle French gauchir, "to turn aside, to swerve"; from Old French gaucher, "to trample, to reel, to walk clumsily". © ALL rights are reserved.

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Characteristic of showing a lack of knowledge about the proper way to behave around other people. (1)