If you call someone a prig, you disapprove of them because they behave in a very moral way and disapprove of other people's behaviour as though they are superior.
[disapproval]
Synonyms: goody-goody [informal], puritan, prude, pedant More Synonyms of prig
prig in British English1
(prɪɡ)
noun
a person who is smugly self-righteous and narrow-minded
Derived forms
priggery (ˈpriggery) or priggishness (ˈpriggishness)
noun
priggish (ˈpriggish)
adjective
priggishly (ˈpriggishly)
adverb
priggism (ˈpriggism)
noun
Word origin
C18: of unknown origin
prig in British English2
(prɪɡ) British slang, archaic
verbWord forms: prigs, prigging or prigged
1. another word for steal
noun
2. another word for thief
Word origin
C16: of unknown origin
prig in American English1
(prɪg)
noun
1.
a person who is annoyingly smug in his or her moral behavior, attitudes, etc.
2.
a person who is annoyingly fastidious about rules, small details, etc.
Derived forms
priggery (ˈpriggery)
noun or ˈpriggism
priggish (ˈpriggish)
adjective
priggishly (ˈpriggishly)
adverb
priggishness (ˈpriggishness)
noun
Word origin
< 16th-c. cant < ?
prig in American English2
(prɪg)
verb transitiveWord forms: prigged or ˈprigging
1. British, Slang
to steal
verb intransitive
2. North England and Scottish
to haggle
noun
3. British, Slang
a thief or pickpocket
Word origin
? akin to prig1
Synonyms of 'prig'
goody-goody, puritan, prude, pedant
More Synonyms of prig
(noun)
Definition
a person who is smugly self-righteous and narrow-minded
She was heartily disliked by everyone as a prig and a bore.
Synonyms
goody-goody (informal)
He's a bit of a goody-goody.
puritan
He delighted in dealing with subjects that enraged puritans.
prude
I'm no prude but I've never heard such filth.
pedant
old maid (informal)
stuffed shirt (informal)
Mrs Grundy
Holy Joe (informal)
Holy Willie (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of prude
Definition
a person who is excessively modest or prim, esp. regarding sex
I'm no prude but I've never heard such filth.
Synonyms
prig,
puritan,
Grundy,
goody-goody (informal),
old maid (informal),
stuffed shirt (informal),
schoolmarm (British, informal),
Holy Joe (informal),
Holy Willie (informal)
in the sense of puritan
Definition
a person who follows strict moral or religious principles
He delighted in dealing with subjects that enraged puritans.