pru·ri·ent
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r-ee-uh
nt] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
Audio Help [proo
r-ee-uh
nt] Pronunciation Key –adjective
| 1. | having, inclined to have, or characterized by lascivious or lustful thoughts, desires, etc. |
| 2. | causing lasciviousness or lust. |
| 3. | having a restless desire or longing. |
[Origin: 1630–40; < L prūrient- (s. of prūriéns), prp. of prūrīre to itch
]
] —Related forms
pru·ri·ence, pru·ri·en·cy, noun
pru·ri·ent·ly, adverb
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
prurient
To learn more about prurient visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
| pru·ri·ent
Audio Help (prŏŏr'ē-ənt) Pronunciation Key
adj.
[Latin prūriēns, prūrient-, present participle of prūrīre, to yearn for, itch; see preus- in Indo-European roots.] pru'ri·ence, pru'ri·en·cy n., pru'ri·ent·ly adv. |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
prurient
1639, "itching," later "having an itching desire" (1653), esp. "lascivious, lewd," (1746), from L. prurientem (nom. pruriens), prp. of prurire "to itch, long for, be wanton," perhaps related to pruna "glowing coals."
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| prurient | |
adjective | |
| characterized by lust; "eluding the lubricious embraces of her employer"; "her sensuous grace roused his lustful nature"; "prurient literature"; "prurient thoughts"; "a salacious rooster of a little man" [syn: lubricious] |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
Prurient
Pru"ri*ent\, a. [L. pruries, -entis, p. pr. of prurire to itch. Cf. Freeze.] Uneasy with desire; itching; especially, having a lascivious curiosity or propensity; lustful. -- Pru"ri*ent*ly, adv. The eye of the vain and prurient is darting from object to object of illicit attraction. --I. Taylor.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
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