puritanical
[ pyoo r-i-tan-i-kuh l ]
/ ˌpyʊər ɪˈtæn ɪ kəl /
adjective
very strict in moral or religious matters, often excessively so; rigidly austere.
(sometimes initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of Puritans or Puritanism.
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RELATED WORDS
prudish, rigid, austere, conforming, moral, priggish, prim, prissy, stern, strict, stuffy, abstinent
Nearby words
- purism,
- purist,
- puritan,
- puritan ethic,
- puritan spoon,
- puritanism,
- puritans,
- purity,
- purkinje cell,
- purkinje fiber
Often pu·ri·tan·ic.
Origin of puritanical
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for puritanical
puritanical
less commonly puritanic
/ (ˌpjʊərɪˈtænɪkəl) /
adjective
usually derogatory strict in moral or religious outlook, esp in shunning sensual pleasures
(sometimes capital) of or relating to a puritan or the Puritans
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
puritanical
c.1600, from Puritan + -ical. Chiefly in disparaging use. Related: Puritanically.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper