vulgar adj. that is in common or ordinary use XIV (rare before XVI); ordinary, common, commonplace XVI; lacking in refinement XVII; sb. †the vernacular XV; †(chiefly pl.) common or vulgar person XVI. — L. vulgāris, f. vulgus, volgus the common people; see -AR.
So vulgarity †common people XVI; †common use, quality, etc. XVII; vulgar character XVIII. — late L. vulgarize †be vulgar XVII; make vulgar XVIII. Vulgate in common use as a version of the Bible (spec. the Latin of St. Jerome completed in about 405 A.D.) XVII; sb. the Vulgate Bible XVIII; received text of the Bible; (v-) ordinary reading in a text XIX. — late L. vulgātus, pp. of L. vulgāre make public or common, f. vulgus; see -ATE2. Hence vulgarism †ordinary expression XVII (rare); vulgar expression, quality, etc. XVIII. vulgarize †be vulgar XVII; make vulgar XVIII.

vul·gar / ˈvəlgər/ • adj. lacking sophistication or good taste; unrefined: the vulgar trappings of wealth. ∎  making explicit and offensive reference to sex or bodily functions; coarse and rude: a vulgar joke. ∎ dated characteristic of or belonging to the masses.DERIVATIVES: vul·gar·i·ty / ˌvəlˈgaritē/ n. (pl. -ties) vul·gar·ly adv.

VULGAR. A nontechnical term that has moved from a neutral and general to a pejorative meaning. Formerly, it referred to ordinary life and ordinary people, as opposed to an upper-class or educated minority. Vulgar Latin was the everyday Latin of the Roman Empire and, until the 19c, European VERNACULAR languages were referred to as vulgar tongues. Concomitantly, a sense of coarseness and lack of breeding and culture developed, associated with the ‘lowest orders’ of society, and now dominates, particularly with reference to language: a vulgar remark. See PARTRIDGE, RECEIVED STANDARD AND MODIFIED STANDARD, SWEARING.

vulgar Latin informal Latin of classical times; vulgar in this sense means ‘in ordinary use, used by the people’, and comes ultimately from vulgus ‘common people’.