Prudery
/ˈpruːdəri/noun
Excessive or affected modesty, especially concerning sexuality or bodily matters.
Did you know?The word developed from French prude, originally associated with a woman regarded as wise, proper, or virtuous, before acquiring its modern sense of exaggerated modesty.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Latin
Latin
prode
“Useful, beneficial, or advantageous; traditionally connected with the ancestry of French prude.”
12th Century
Old French
prud
“Wise, good, capable, or worthy.”
12th–13th Century
Old French
prude
“The feminine form of prud; a woman considered wise, virtuous, or proper.”
17th Century
French
prude
“A person, especially a woman, seen as excessively concerned with propriety or sexual modesty.”
18th Century
French
pruderie
“Affected or excessive modesty; prudish behavior.”
1782
English
prudery
“The English borrowing for exaggerated modesty or decorum.”