naughty

B2 Topic:Describing People

US /ˈnɔti/ UK /ˈnɔːti/ See IPA manual

adj verb Freq #3781

Meanings

1

adj
(especially of a child) behaving badly and not doing what they are told.

The naughty boy hid his sister's shoes.
2

adj
Slightly rude or about sex, often in a playful way.

They told a few naughty jokes at the party.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · (especially of a child)... mischievous cheeky

2 adj · slightly rude or about sex,... cheekyrisqué

Word family

Forms naughtiernaughtiestnaughtiness

Derived forms naughtilynaughtinessnaughty-packnaughtyish

Common collocations

naughty boy Adjective + noun

Etymology

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

noughti Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing People

# naughty

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj, verb
**IPA (US):** ˈnɔti
**IPA (UK):** ˈnɔːti
**Frequency rank:** 3781

## Meanings
1. (especially of a child) behaving badly and not doing what they are told.
2. Slightly rude or about sex, often in a playful way.

## Examples
- The naughty boy hid his sister's shoes.
- They told a few naughty jokes at the party.

## Derived Forms
- naughtily
- naughtiness
- naughty-pack
- naughtyish

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: noughti

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

## AI Etymology
Naughty comes from late Middle English noughti, naughty (“evil, immoral, wicked”), from nought (“evil, immoral”) + -ī̆ (suffix forming adjectives). Analysable as naught + -y. In present-day English its meanings include behaving badly and not doing what they are told and slightly rude or about sex, often in a playful way. Related and derived forms include naughtily, naughtiness, and naughty-pack.

## Topics
- Describing People

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