I. ˈprüd noun
( -s )
Etymology: French, wise or good woman, prudish woman, short for prudefemme wise or good woman, from Middle French, alteration of preudefemme, from Old French prode femme, from prode (feminine of prod, prud, prou good, capable, brave) + femme woman — more at proud , femme
: a person who is excessively or priggishly attentive to propriety or oversensitive to slight breaches of decorum
not a book for prudes — Saturday Review
“you're prudes … this and that can't be discussed before you” — Henry Green
especially : a woman who shows or affects extreme modesty or reticence (as in speech, behavior, or dress)
cold, heartless, a prude , he called her — Virginia Woolf
a prude … virtuously flies from the temptation of her desires — Ambrose Bierce
II. adjective
Etymology: French, back-formation from prudefemme
archaic : prudish