prurient
Americanadjective
-
having, inclined to have, or characterized by lascivious or lustful thoughts, desires, etc.
-
causing lasciviousness or lust.
-
having a restless desire or longing.
adjective
-
unusually or morbidly interested in sexual thoughts or practices
-
exciting or encouraging lustfulness; erotic
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prurient
1630–40; < Latin prūrient- (stem of prūriēns ), present participle of prūrīre to itch
Explanation
Something is prurient if it focuses attention on sex not in an artistic way or to teach something, but purely to appeal to your baser instincts. If something is prurient, it's sure to offend somebody. An MTV series that includes explicit scenes might be considered prurient and have censors screaming to have it taken off the air. The word prurient comes from a Latin root that means literally, "to itch,” and you may have heard the medical term pruritus, which means "severe itching." The word can also be used to describe any kind of perverse interest, like onlookers who have a prurient curiosity about the details of a particularly gory crime scene.
Vocabulary lists containing prurient
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Drama High
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’ll be purely sensational, purely prurient, even as it coldly rips through reputations, jobs and legacies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
More importantly, the political relevance of these two stories can't really be measured by prurient interest.
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2024
The trial’s first witness, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, testified last week about his cooperation with Trump in 2016 to “catch and kill” prurient Trump stories before that year’s election.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2024
He was at his best when he managed to winkle out sensitive details of a guest's life without appearing prurient.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2023
One who suspects hypocrisy in the world is rarely transparent; the man constantly on the watch for cheating is generally dishonest; he who suspects impurity is prurient.
From Sermons Preached at Brighton Third Series by Frederick William Robertson
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
