nude

American  

[nood, nyood] / nud, nyud /

adjective

nuder, nudest

1. naked or unclothed, as a person or the body.

   Synonyms:

   exposed, undressed, uncovered

2. without the usual coverings, furnishings, etc.; bare.

   a nude stretch of land laid waste by brush fires.

3. (of a photograph, painting, statue, etc.) being or prominently displaying a representation of the nude human figure.

4. Law. made without a consideration or other legal essential.

   a nude contract.

5. having the color nude.

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noun

1. a sculpture, painting, etc., of a nude human figure.

2. an unclothed human figure.

3. the condition of being unclothed.

   to sleep in the nude.

4. (no longer in common use; now considered offensive) a light grayish-yellow brown to brownish-pink color.

5. a color that falls within the spectrum of human skin colors.

nude British  

/ njuːd /

adjective

1. completely unclothed; undressed

2. having no covering; bare; exposed

3. law

   1. lacking some essential legal requirement, esp supporting evidence

   2. (of a contract, agreement, etc) made without consideration and void unless under seal

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noun

1. the state of being naked (esp in the phrase in the nude )

2. a naked figure, esp in painting, sculpture, etc

Sensitive Note

See flesh color.

Pronunciation

See new .

Other Word Forms

• nudely adverb
• nudeness noun
• seminude adjective
• subnude adjective

Etymology

Origin of nude

1525–35; < Latin nūdus; naked

Example Sentences

In July 2006, Manhattan prosecutors charged Doyle with the theft of a bronze sculpture of a nude dancer by French impressionist Edgar Degas valued at $600,000.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Husain, who died in 2011 aged 95, often faced backlash for the depictions of nude Hindu gods in his paintings.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2025

Who knows what prompted Camille Claudel, at 20, to take a blade to the clay model of her sculpture of a headless crouching nude, tilting to one side and balanced precariously on rough feet?

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2024

Melania Trump spoke out on her history of nude modeling for the first time on Wednesday.

From Salon • Sep. 18, 2024

Without raising his body, he reached out a nude, inflamed-pink, right arm and flicked his ashes in the general direction of the night table.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

Related Words

• naked