prude
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of prude
First recorded in 1695–1705; from French prude “a prude” (noun), “prudish” (adjective), short for prudefemme, Old French prodefeme “worthy or respectable woman,” equivalent to proud + feme
Explanation
Use prude to describe someone who is too concerned with being proper or modest. It is a derogatory label affixed most often to people who are not forthcoming romantically — and it's not very nice. To be prude is to be prudent, or careful. That’s not a bad thing, but prude is usually an insult. A prude might gasp when someone says a bad word. Prude was borrowed from French, short for prude femme "wise and good woman." Though the word took on a negative meaning, Old French prud also meant "capable or brave" and is probably the source of English proud.
Vocabulary lists containing prude
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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!
Wonder
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!
Winning Words from the New York Times Learning Network / Vocabulary.com Student Vocab Video Contest
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.
See Examples For:
I’d rather be called a prude than acquiesce to society’s slow drift into vice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
“I’ve been reminded that I’m a prude of an English boy.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2025
Anthony Comstock, a 19th-century crusader against sexual liberty, was mocked as a prude in his own time, but wielded real power.
From New York Times ● May 16, 2023
Rivera’s not a prude; he will utter an expletive into the microphone if the occasion calls for it.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 2, 2022
Miranda had always been such a prude about clothes, and here she was all pink-haired and tube- topped.
From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio
If 2018 prudes want to interpret the lyrics as something else; the problem obviously lies in their own minds not in the original lyrics.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 12, 2018
Evolutionary ornithologist Richard O. Prum says the theory was distorted by Victorian prudes.
From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2018
Anybody who begrudged her that beer given the conflagration raiding her leg would qualify for a hall of fame of prudes.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 23, 2018
We weren’t prudes, but it didn’t seem to be the ideal family spot.
From New York Times ● Dec. 13, 2016
They sound like prudes, which, considering their oeuvre at Truman, strikes me as more than a little ironic.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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.
