Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
proximo
proxy
proxy fight
proxy server
proxy statement
Prozac
PRP
prs.
prude
prudent
prudential
Prudhoe Bay
pruinose
prune (1)
prune (2)
prunella
prunelle
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "prudery" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

prude

prude [ prood ] (plural prudes)


noun 
Definition:
 
somebody easily shocked by sex: somebody who is easily offended by matters relating to sex or nudity

[Early 18th century. < French, back-formation < Old French prudefemme (misunderstood as "virtuous woman"), feminine of prud'homme< assumed pro de ome "fine (thing) of a man"]

prud·er·y [ prdəree ] noun
prud·ish adjective
prud·ish·ly adverb
prud·ish·ness noun
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
Shopping
© 2009 Microsoft