This week’s theme
Words that have changed

This week’s words
peccant
prestigious
dapper
peterman
prudish


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Next week’s theme
Eponyms

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(PROO-dish)

MEANING:

adjective: Overly concerned with propriety or decorum, especially in matters of sex.

ETYMOLOGY:

From prude, from Old French prudefemme (wise or good woman), feminine of prud’homme (wise man). Earliest documented use: 1717.

NOTES:

No one today would be caught being called prudish, but earlier if you were prudish, you were a wise person -- prudent.

USAGE:

“Don’t tell me you’re one of those prudish types who thinks every piano should be skirted so its legs won’t show.”
Catherine Anderson; Lucky Penny; Penguin; 2012.

See more usage examples of prudish in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: