Definition and pronunciation
bawdy — adjective: humorously indecent; dealing with sexual matters in a coarse or cheeky way (often in jokes, songs, or performances).
Pronunciation: /ˈbɔːdi/ (rhymes with “gaudy”).
Easy explanation
Bawdy language is naughty on purpose. It jokes about sex or bodies in a playful, sometimes crude way. It aims to make people laugh, not to describe acts in detail.
Part of speech and grammar
- Adjective: bawdy joke, bawdy song, bawdy humor.
- Noun forms: bawdiness (common), bawdily (rare adverb).
- Historical noun bawd means a procuress; it is not the same as bawdy.
Register and tone
Informal to literary. Tone ranges from cheeky pub humor to coarse or offensive, depending on audience and setting.
Connection to sexuality
Direct, but mostly via humor and innuendo. Bawdy content references sexual topics in comic ways; it is not inherently pornographic. Context and consent-of-audience matter.
Common collocations
bawdy joke; bawdy humor; bawdy song/ballad; bawdy tale; bawdy banter; bawdy lyrics; bawdy comedy; bawdy limerick; bawdy revue; bawdy house (archaic: brothel).
Idioms and expressions
- blue humor / blue joke — near-synonym for bawdy humor.
- locker-room talk — casual, often crude sexual banter.
- nudge-nudge, wink-wink — signal of bawdy innuendo.
- bawdy house — historical/legal phrase for brothel.
Prepositions and nuance
- bawdy in parts/scenes — limited to certain moments: funny but bawdy in places.
- bawdy about a topic — focus of the joke: bawdy about anatomy.
- bawdy for the venue — suitability: too bawdy for prime-time TV.
- bawdy with puns/innuendo — technique: bawdy with wordplay.
Prepositions narrow where and how the humor works; the core meaning stays “naughty-funny.”
Word comparisons
- bawdy vs ribald — very close; ribald is a bit more literary.
- bawdy vs risqué — risqué is mildly daring or suggestive, not necessarily crude.
- bawdy vs raunchy — raunchy feels dirtier/rougher.
- bawdy vs lewd/obscene — those imply offensive indecency and may breach rules; bawdy can be cheeky without crossing that line.
- bawdy vs profane — profane targets sacred things, not specifically sexual.
Real-life examples
- A music hall act mixed clean patter with bawdy songs for adults.
- The comedy club warned audiences about bawdy humor in the late show.
- A historic pamphlet used the term bawdy house to mean a brothel.
- The film’s jokes were too bawdy for a school screening.
Sample sentences
- The sketch was funny but a bit bawdy for daytime TV.
- She tells bawdy tales with clever double entendres.
- Critics praised the play’s wit while noting its bawdy banter.
- His set stayed playful, never bawdy enough to offend the mixed crowd.
- The anthology includes bawdy ballads from the 18th century.
Synonyms
ribald, risqué, raunchy, earthy, off-color, blue, smutty, coarse, vulgar, lewd, naughty, indecent
Antonyms
clean, decorous, proper, prim, modest, chaste, decent, refined, polite
Related terms
ribaldry, double entendre, innuendo, risqué, raunch, obscene, profane, vulgarity, burlesque, bawd (historical), bawdy house (archaic), blue comedy, slapstick (contrast)
Notes and etiquette
Audience matters. What’s bawdy in a classroom might be fine in a late-night club. When writing for broad audiences, prefer innuendo and tone cues over graphic detail, and avoid punching down.
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