Naughty

/ˈnɔti/ adj

Definition

badly behaved; mildly indecent or playfully mischievous

Etymology

from 'naught' meaning 'nothing, wickedness'

Kelly Says

Naughty comes from 'naught' - when you amount to nothing good!

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Naughty carries gendered moral coding: historically applied to women's sexuality and disobedience as transgressive, while masculine disobedience coded as mischief or rebellion.

Inclusive Usage

Use carefully; consider whether gender-coded morality is shaping word choice. 'Mischievous', 'playful', 'rule-breaking', or 'provocative' may be more precise.

Inclusive Alternatives

["mischievous","playful","provocative","rule-breaking","irreverent"]

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.