bawdry: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (literary/archaic)Formal, Literary, Archaic
Quick answer
What does “bawdry” mean?
Obscene or lewd talk, writing, or behaviour.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Obscene or lewd talk, writing, or behaviour; indecency.
Content or situations dealing with crude sexuality in a vulgar or humorous way. Historically, it can also refer to the trade of a procurer or a panderer.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare in both varieties. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British historical/literary contexts.
Connotations
Identical: vulgar obscenity.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in contemporary use. Primarily found in older texts or academic discussion of them.
Grammar
How to Use “bawdry” in a Sentence
[adj] + bawdrybawdry + [of + n]indulge in + bawdryVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bawdry” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (No verb form for 'bawdry')
American English
- (No verb form for 'bawdry')
adverb
British English
- (The adverb 'bawdrily' is exceptionally rare and not standard.)
American English
- (The adverb 'bawdrily' is exceptionally rare and not standard.)
adjective
British English
- The play's bawdry humour appealed to the groundlings.
- He was known for his bawdry tales.
American English
- The film was criticized for its bawdry content.
- He told a bawdry joke at the reunion.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in literary/historical analysis (e.g., 'the bawdry of Chaucer's fabliaux').
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bawdry”
- Using it as an adjective (the adjective is 'bawdy').
- Confusing it with 'laundry'.
- Assuming it's common modern vocabulary.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a rare, literary, and somewhat archaic word. The adjective 'bawdy' is more commonly encountered.
'Bawdry' suggests coarse, humorous, or unsophisticated indecency, often in speech or writing. 'Pornography' is a broader, more modern term for explicit sexual material intended primarily to arouse.
Almost never. It carries a strong negative judgement of vulgarity and lack of taste, though one might neutrally analyse its historical or literary use.
It is a noun (uncountable). The related adjective is 'bawdy'.
Obscene or lewd talk, writing, or behaviour.
Bawdry is usually formal, literary, archaic in register.
Bawdry: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɔː.dri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɔː.dri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None common”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'bawdy' (vulgar) song or joke; 'bawdry' is the abstract noun for that kind of content.
Conceptual Metaphor
INDECENCY IS FILTH/DIRTY CONTENT.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'bawdry' be MOST appropriately used?