prude

Definition

A person who is or tries to be excessively proper, especially one who is easily offended by matters of a sexual nature.

Etymology

From French prude, from Old French prude, prode, feminine of prou, prod, prud (“good, excellent, brave”), from Latin prōde. Related to proud but unrelated to prudent.

Example Sentences

• "He became shy. "I hadn't meant to tell you. It's not quite for a lady." For, like most men who are rather animal, he was intellectually a prude."
• "If you didn't go for Lila you're some kind of prissy old prude. If you did go for her you were some kind of dirty old man."

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