English

Adjective

naughty ‎(comparative naughtier, superlative naughtiest)

1. Mischievous; tending to misbehave or act badly (especially of a child). [from 17th c.]

   Some naughty boys at school hid the teacher's lesson notes.

2. Sexually provocative; now in weakened sense, risqué, cheeky. [from 19th c.]

   I bought some naughty lingerie for my honeymoon.

   If I see you send another naughty email to your friends, you will be forbidden from using the computer!

3. (now rare, archaic) Evil, wicked, morally reprehensible. [from 15th c.]
   • 1623, William Shakespeare, First Folio, The Merchant of Venice:

     So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

   • 1644, John Milton, Aeropagitica:

     Wholesome meats to a vitiated stomack differ little or nothing from unwholesome; and best books to a naughty mind are not unappliable to occasions of evill.

   • (Can we date this quote?) Udall:

     Such as be intemperant, that is, followers of their naughty appetites and lusts.

4. (obsolete) Bad, worthless, substandard. [16th-19th c.]
   • (Can we date this quote?) American King James Bible, Jeremiah 24:2:

     One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.

Synonyms

• (immoral, sexually provocative): dirty
• (mischievous): mischievous

Antonyms

• (immoral; cheeky): nice

Derived terms

• naughtily
• naughtiness
• naughty bit

Translations