bowdlerization
Preserved but no longer current.
A term used in literary circles to signify undue strictness of treatment caused by over-modesty in editing a classic. To BOWDLERIZE is to emasculate through squeamishness. From the name (Bowdler) of one of Shakspeare’s "purifiers."
Sự nghiêm ngặt quá mức trong việc chỉnh sửa một tác phẩm kinh điển do sự khiêm tốn quá mức
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bowdlerization” mean?
A term used in literary circles to signify undue strictness of treatment caused by over-modesty in editing a classic. To BOWDLERIZE is to emasculate through squeamishness. From the name (Bowdler) of one of Shakspeare’s "purifiers."
Is “bowdlerization” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.