Prudish

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈpɹuːdɪʃ/

Definitions

1. Characterized by an excessive concern for modesty in sexual matters Displaying an extreme reluctance to engage with topics related to intimacy Reflecting a conservative attitude that discourages open dialogue about sexual behavior
2. Showing an overly strict or sensitive attitude toward sexual topics that leads to discomfort or avoidance
3. Having a tendency to react with embarrassment or disapproval when faced with anything sexual or suggestive

Etymology: Prudish is simply prude with the suffix "-ish" attached, meaning "having the qualities of" or "somewhat like". The suffix descends from a very old Germanic ending that passed into Old English as "-isc", and it still gives English adjectives like "childish" and "foolish" their flavour of "rather like". The base word, prude, was borrowed from French, where "prude" meant a woman of modest or priggish virtue. That French noun came from the adjective "prude", meaning "virtuous" or "discreet", which itself traces back to Latin "prudens", "prudent" or "wise". So the word began with a sense of sensible wisdom and only later drifted toward a fussy display of propriety. Adding "-ish" gave English a way to describe someone who behaves like a prude without being a full-blown one. The meaning has narrowed over time to someone easily shocked by sexual matters, which is the sense the word carries today.

Synonyms: prim, proper, puritanical, modest, straight-laced

Antonyms: immodest, indecent, uninhibited, liberal, flamboyant