adj
bawdy
BAW-dee
adj
1
Humorously crude or sexual in a way that is meant to amuse rather than offend.
"The comedian told a string of bawdy jokes that had the whole pub laughing."
"Shakespeare's plays are full of bawdy wordplay."
How to Use Bawdy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRude or sexual humour, usually in an old-fashioned, cheeky rather than shocking way.
When to use it
Often used to describe old comic songs, jokes, or literature rather than modern crude talk.
Common pairings
a bawdy joke
bawdy humour
bawdy song
Word Forms
bawdier comparative, more bawdy comparative, bawdies plural, bawdiest superlative, most bawdy superlative
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Etymology
From an old word "bawd," meaning a person who ran a brothel, plus the suffix "-y."