naughty

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. adjective suggestive of sexual impropriety
  2. adjective badly behaved

Etymology

From late Middle English noughti, naughty (“evil, immoral, wicked”), from nought (“evil, immoral”) + -ī̆ (suffix forming adjectives). Analysable as naught + -y.

In classic literature

Synonyms

blue, gamy, gamey, juicy, racy, risque, spicy

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