Prude

Prude

A prude (Old French "prude") [cite web | title=Prude - yourDictionary.com | publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company | url=http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/p/p0625700.html | accessdate=2007-04-07 ] is a person who is described as being overly concerned with decorum or propriety. They may be perceived as being uncomfortable with sexuality, nudity, alcohol, drug use or mischief.

The name is generally considered to mean excessive modesty, and hence unflattering, and is often used as an insult. A person who is considered a prude may have reservations about nudity, participating in romantic or sexual activity, drinking alcohol or consuming other drugs, or participating in mischief. These reservations may stem from shyness or strict moral beliefs. Actions or beliefs that may cause someone to be labeled a prude include advocating or practising abstinence, advocating prohibition, advocating censorship of sexuality or nudity in media, disapproval of being nude in public, avoiding or condemning public display of affection, or exhibiting unusual levels of discomfort with sexuality, alcohol, drugs or mischief.

Like modesty, one's perceived prudishness may vary according to who is present.

In contrast, prude was originally a noble compliment. Throughout history, it was usually associated with wisdom, integrity, usefulness, and profit. [cite web | title=Prude - http://www.answers.com/topic/prude | url=http://www.answers.com/topic/prude | accessdate=2008-05-02 ]

"Sexually repressed" or "sexually repressive" are other terms used to describe people who might be labeled prudes. The term "Puritan" is sometimes used in the same way, reflecting the stereotype image of members of the Puritan religious sect.

The degree of being prude can vary among different cultural frames.

In many areas of New York and New Jersey, the term "prude" has been adapted to a noun, a person who hasn't yet received their first kiss.

See also

*Prig
*Puritan
*Sex-negativity

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • prude — prude …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • prude — [ pryd ] adj. et n. • 1640; prode femme XIIe, fém. de prodom → prud homme; de preux 1 ♦ Vieilli Vertueux et austère; qui déteste, réprouve le relâchement des mœurs. ⇒ pudibond, puritain (cf. Collet monté). N. Un prude (vx), une prude. « N en… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • prude — Prude. adj. de tout genre. Sage, reglé & circonspect dans ses moeurs, dans ses paroles, dans sa conduite. C est une femme qui a tousjours esté fort prude. elle a tousjours passé pour prude. elle a un air prude. elle affecte un air prude. ce jeune …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • prüde — Adj std. (18. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus frz. prude. Dieses bedeutet ursprünglich wacker, ehrenhaft und ist vermutlich in bestimmten Wendungen (wie frz. prude femme ehrenhafte Frau ?) unter Einwirkung von frz. prudent vorsichtig zu seiner… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • prüde — Adj. (Aufbaustufe) übertrieben empfindlich (in Bezug auf sexuelle Dinge) Synonyme: verklemmt, verschämt, bieder, gehemmt, genant, spröde, genierlich (geh.) Beispiel: Ihre Mutter ist sehr prüde und lässt sie sich nicht mit Jungs treffen.… …   Extremes Deutsch

  • Prude — Prude, n. [F., prudish, originally, discreet, modest; shortened from OF. prudefeme, preudefeme, a discreet or excellent woman; OF. preu, prou, excellent, brave + de of + fete woman. See {Prow}, a., {Prowess}.] A woman of affected modesty, reserve …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • prude — 1704, from Fr. prude excessively prim or demure woman (also an adjective), first recorded in Molière, from O.Fr. preude good, virtuous, modest, perhaps an ellipsis of preudefemme a discreet, modest woman, from O.Fr. prou de femme, fem. equivalent …   Etymology dictionary

  • prüde — »sehr empfindlich und engherzig hinsichtlich Sitte und Moral; zimperlich; spröde«: Das Adjektiv wurde im 18. Jh. aus gleichbed. frz. prude entlehnt, das seinerseits zu frz. preux (afrz. prod) »tüchtig, tapfer« gehört und sich vermutlich aus einer …   Das Herkunftswörterbuch

  • Prude — (fr., spr. Prühd), auf eine übertriebene u. affectirte Weise sittsam; scheinspröde, zimperlich; daher Pruderie, Scheinsprödigkeit, Ziererei …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Prüde — (franz.), geziert, spröde tuend, zimperlich; Prüderie, Zimperlichkeit …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Prüde — (frz.), geziert, zimperlich, spröde; Prüderīe, Ziererei …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

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