lewd

[ lood ]

adjective

, lewd·er, lewd·est.

1. inclined to, characterized by, or inciting to lust or lechery; lascivious.
2. obscene or indecent, as language or songs; salacious.
3. Obsolete.
   1. low, ignorant, or vulgar.
   2. base, vile, or wicked, especially of a person.
   3. bad, worthless, or poor, especially of a thing.

lewd

/ luːd /

adjective

1. characterized by or intended to excite crude sexual desire; obscene
2. obsolete.
   1. wicked
   2. ignorant

Derived Forms

• ˈlewdness, noun
• ˈlewdly, adverb

Other Words From

• lewd·ly adverb
• lewd·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lewd¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English leud, lewed, Old English lǣwede “lay, unlearned”

Word History and Origins

Origin of lewd¹

C14: from Old English lǣwde lay, ignorant; see lay ³

Example Sentences

A “rent due” tweet has become an axiom explaining the constant lewd shock-and-outrage bait that floods most of the timeline.

From Slate

Colleen Jo Matarico, 43, was arrested last week and charged with seven counts of committing lewd acts on a boy she met when he was 12, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times

His DNA had previously been captured after he was convicted of a lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor in 1993 and forced to register as a sex offender, Hayes said at the time.

From Los Angeles Times

A jury found Davis guilty of 10 felony counts, including attempting a lewd act on a child.

From Los Angeles Times

Jose Julian Jaime Jr., 30, of Hawthorne, faces one felony count of forcible lewd act upon a child under age 14 and one felony count of attempted kidnapping to commit another crime, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bawdy
• coarse
• erotic
• lascivious
• naughty
• obscene
• off-color
• pornographic
• racy
• ribald
• salacious
• suggestive
• vile