Bowdlerizing: meaning, definitions and examples

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bowdlerizing

 

[ หˆbaสŠdlษ™raษชzษชล‹ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

censorship action

To bowdlerize means to remove or alter parts of a text that are considered offensive or inappropriate, often in an effort to make the material more suitable for a particular audience. This term originated from the actions of Thomas Bowdler, who published an expurgated version of Shakespeare's works.

Synonyms

censor, edit, expurgate, remove, sanitize

Examples of usage

  • The editor decided to bowdlerize the novel before its publication.
  • Many classic stories have been bowdlerized for children's literature.
  • The film was bowdlerized to avoid controversy.
  • Critics argue that bowdlerizing literature undermines the original author's intent.

Translations

Translations of the word "bowdlerizing" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น censurar

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเค‚เคธเคพเคงเคฟเคค เค•เคฐเคจเคพ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช zensieren

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ menyensor

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ั†ะตะฝะทัƒั€ัƒะฒะฐั‚ะธ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ cenzurowaฤ‡

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆคœ้–ฒใ™ใ‚‹

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท censurer

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ censurar

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท sansรผrlemek

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๊ฒ€์—ดํ•˜๋‹ค

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุฑู‚ุงุจุฉ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ cenzurovat

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ cenzurovaลฅ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅฎกๆŸฅ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ cenzurirati

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ ritsko

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ัะตะฝะทัƒั€ะฐะปะฐัƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒชแƒ”แƒœแƒ–แƒฃแƒ แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ sensura

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ censurar

Etymology

The term 'bowdlerize' derives from the name of Thomas Bowdler, an English physician and editor who lived from 1754 to 1825. He is best known for his work on 'The Family Shakespeare', where he removed or altered passages in William Shakespeare's plays that he deemed unsuitable for women and children. The word was first used in the early 19th century and quickly gained traction as a way to describe the act of censoring or modifying texts to make them more acceptable to a broader audience. Bowdler's efforts were often criticized for stripping works of their original meaning and richness, leading to ongoing debates about censorship in literature and the arts. The practice of bowdlerizing texts continues in various forms today, particularly in adaptations for younger audiences.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #42,873, this word is among the least frequently used in common English. Understanding it can be beneficial for comprehensive language mastery, but it's not essential for most learners.