brusque

/ˈbrəsk/

borrowed from French, borrowed from Italian brusco "(of a person's manner) rough, rude, abrupt," also "(of wine, food) sharp, pungent," going back to a pre-Latin expressive base *brūsk-, denoting prickliness, roughness

adjective

  1. markedly short and abrupt

  2. blunt in manner or speech often to the point of ungracious harshness

a brusque reply

bluff blunt brusque curt crusty gruff mean abrupt and unceremonious in speech and manner. bluff connotes good-natured outspokenness and unconventionality. blunt suggests directness of expression in disregard of others' feelings.