Priggishly Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

Psychology

• Those who display priggish behavior often have an inflated sense of their moral superiority, which can lead to social alienation.
• People may become priggish in response to anxiety about social acceptance or fitting in, as a way to assert dominance.

Literature

• Charles Dickens often wrote characters displaying priggishly, highlighting their lack of warmth amid strict social rules in works like 'Great Expectations'.
• In Jane Austen's novels, characters with priggish traits often serve as foils to more relatable protagonists, showing the folly of excessive propriety.

Cultural Insights

• Victorian-era society valued priggishness in some circles, associating strict moral behavior with social standing and respectability.
• Modern interpretations of priggish behavior can be seen as outdated, as contemporary culture often celebrates authenticity over strict adherence to rules.

Main points about word origin

• The word 'priggish' comes from 'prig', which has roots in the 16th century, possibly referring to a petty thief or someone behaving in a snobbish way.
• It is believed that 'prig' might also relate to the Middle English 'prikken', meaning to steal, hinting at the idea of taking on airs.

The term 'priggishly' derives from the word 'prig', which originally surfaced in the 16th century. The word 'prig' likely comes from the dialectal term 'prigge', meaning a thief or a pickpocket, though its modern connotation is more about a self-righteous, morally superior person. Over time, the meaning evolved, and by the late 17th century, 'prig' came to describe someone who is excessively moralistic or overly particular about propriety. The adverbial form, 'priggishly', would then align itself closely with characteristics associated with this self-important attitude. In contemporary usage, it retains a negative connotation, often indicating a disdainful attitude towards those who do not adhere to the same stringent moral values.