Dirty means covered with or containing dirt, dust, or another unclean substance. It can also describe actions or language that are rude or unfair.
Formed from 'dirt' plus the adjective-forming suffix '-y'. As 'dirt' shifted from meaning excrement to general filth, 'dirty' followed the same path in meaning.
The jump from 'dirty clothes' to 'a dirty trick' shows how we use physical mess as a metaphor for moral mess. When we say something feels 'dirty', we’re borrowing a feeling from our senses, not our logic.
"Dirty" has been used in gendered ways, such as shaming women and girls for sexuality or menstruation, and associating certain types of manual or domestic labor—often done by women or lower-status groups—with dirtiness. This reflects broader purity and respectability norms.
Avoid using "dirty" to shame bodies, sexuality, or menstruation; reserve it for literal uncleanliness or clearly metaphorical contexts that don’t target specific groups.
["unclean","messy","polluting","unethical"]
When relevant, recognize that much so-called "dirty work" in caregiving, cleaning, and sanitation has been done by women and marginalized workers, despite its essential social value.
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