prudery

P3R1U1D2E1R1Y4
UK/ˈpɹuːdəɹi/

noun

The condition of being prudish; prudishness

Similar
prudishnesserotophobiaantisexualityprimnessGrundyism
OriginFrench pruderie →
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Meanings

nounprudery (countable and uncountable, plural pruderies)

plural pruderies

  1. uncountableThe condition of being prudish; prudishness
  2. countablePrudish behaviour

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
prudishnesserotophobiaantisexuality

nounexcessive or affected modesty

Similar
primnessprudishnessGrundyism
Broader
modestymodestness
Also see
grundyismprimnessprudishness

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchpruderie
  2. Englishprudery

First attested in 1709. prude + -ery and from French pruderie.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian фалшива скромност
  • фалшива скромност (falšiva skromnost)condition of being prudish; prudishness
Danish sippethed, snerperi
  • sippethedcondition of being prudish; prudishness
  • snerpericondition of being prudish; prudishness
Dutch preutsheid
  • preutsheidprudish behaviour
French pruderie
  • pruderiecondition of being prudish; prudishness
German Prüderie, Prüderie
  • Prüderiecondition of being prudish; prudishness
  • Prüderieprudish behaviour
Hungarian prüdéria, prüdéria
  • prüdériacondition of being prudish; prudishness
  • prüdériaprudish behaviour
Polish pruderia, pruderyjność
  • pruderiacondition of being prudish; prudishness
  • pruderyjnośćcondition of being prudish; prudishness
  • pruderiaprudish behaviour
  • pruderyjnośćprudish behaviour
Portuguese pudor
  • pudorcondition of being prudish; prudishness
Turkish iffet, iffetçilik
  • iffetcondition of being prudish; prudishness
  • iffetçilikcondition of being prudish; prudishness
  • iffetçilikprudish behaviour
Cite this entry
APA

prudery. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prudery

MLA

“prudery.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prudery. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “prudery,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prudery.

Source: prudery on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.