More crude, indecent, or obscene in language or behavior, especially in a humorous or theatrical way.
Comparative form of bawdy, which comes from Middle English bawde (a woman in charge of a brothel), possibly from Old French baud. The word shifted from meaning a person to describing their crude speech and behavior, then became associated with humorously indecent content.
Shakespeare and his contemporaries used 'bawdy' humor constantly in plays—it was the lowbrow comedy of the 1600s, full of sexual puns and crude jokes. Today we still describe raunchy comedy the same way, proving that dirty jokes are a timeless form of entertainment!
Comparative form of 'bawdy.' While 'bawdy' itself is gender-neutral (meaning crude, lewd), it carries historical baggage from association with female bodies and female-led spaces of bawdiness (theaters, brothels). The language of moral judgment around bawdiness was asymmetrically applied to women.
Use without restriction in linguistic/literary contexts. Be aware that in historical texts, 'bawdy' criticism was often gendered—applied more harshly to women's speech or conduct.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.