ribald
[ rib-uhld; spelling pronunciation rahy-buhld ]
/ ˈrɪb əld; spelling pronunciation ˈraɪ bəld /
adjective
vulgar or indecent in speech, language, etc.; coarsely mocking, abusive, or irreverent; scurrilous.
noun
a ribald person.
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Origin of ribald
1200–50; Middle English ribald, ribaud (noun) <Old French ribau(l)d, equivalent to rib(er) to be licentious (<Old High German rīben to copulate, be in heat, literally, rub) + -au(l)d, -alt<Frankish *-wald a suffix in personal names, derivative of *walden to rule; compare parallel development of -ard
OTHER WORDS FROM ribald
rib·ald·ly, adverbWords nearby ribald
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for ribald
British Dictionary definitions for ribald
ribald
/ (ˈrɪbəld) /
adjective
coarse, obscene, or licentious, usually in a humorous or mocking way
noun
a ribald person
Derived forms of ribald
ribaldly, adverbWord Origin for ribald
C13: from Old French ribauld, from riber to live licentiously, of Germanic origin
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