CultureAugust 22, 2026

puritan

PYUR-ih-tuhn

Definition

Relating to a strict, moralistic, or prudish attitude regarding behavior and sexual conduct.

Etymology

Derived from the 16th-century 'Puritans,' a group of English Protestants who sought to 'purify' the Church of England of Catholic practices, eventually coming to denote anyone associated with extreme moral or religious strictness.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe the film's conservative approach to intimacy, noting how it contrasts with the expected raunchiness of its R-rating.

What if you could only make love once a year?

Read the full article ↗

Manila Bulletin

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.