Sunday, March 29, 2009

What is "prurience"?


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: prurience

Why: On p 215 of The Handmaid's Tale:
They aren't squeamish, they don't have the same feelings we do. And the rest of them leaning forward in their chairs, My dear, all horror and prurience.
Answer: The quality or state of being prurient...
  1. Inordinately interested in matters of sex; lascivious.
    1. Characterized by an inordinate interest in sex: prurient thoughts.
    2. Arousing or appealing to an inordinate interest in sex: prurient literature.
Source: Answers.com

The More You Know: Latin prurient-, pruriens, present participle of prurire "to itch, crave;" akin to Latin pruna "glowing coal," Sanskrit plosati "he singes," and probably to Latin pruina "hoarfrost"

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