prudery
Americannoun
-
excessive propriety or modesty in speech, conduct, etc.
-
pruderies, prudish actions, phrases, or words.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of prudery
From the French word pruderie, dating back to 1700–10. See prude, -ery
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.
Prudery always has made true æsthetic unfolding impossible.
From Psychology and Social Sanity by Münsterberg, Hugo
Prudery here insists that boys and girls shall be left to learn anyhow.
From Woman and Womanhood A Search for Principles by Saleeby, C. W. (Caleb Williams)
Prudery was the nourishing vice of the moment.
From Shallow Soil by Hyllested, Carl Christian
He calls her “Prue” in fondness and reproach; she was Prudery itself!
From Calamities and Quarrels of Authors by Disraeli, Isaac
Prudery detects wrong where no wrong is; the wrong lies in the thoughts, and not in the objects.
From Sermons Preached at Brighton Third Series by Robertson, Frederick William
Definitions 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.
