lewd

Where does the word "lewd" come from? It comes from Old English lǣwede, passing through Middle English before entering English (1500s).

Lewd’s story begins in Old English: lǣwede meant “lay, unlearned.” 'lay, not of the clergy', perhaps from Latin laicus 'lay'. By 1300s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as lewed. 'ignorant, common'; Chaucer's Parson reasons that 'if a preest be foul, on whom we truste, no wonder is a lewed man to ruste'. It reached English by 1500s as lewd. Sank through 'vile, base' to 'lustful, obscene'. Today, lewd means crude and offensive in a sexual way.

1. Stage 1 · Old English · medieval lǣwede "lay, unlearned", 'lay, not of the clergy', perhaps from Latin laicus 'lay'.
2. Stage 2 · Middle English · 1300s lewed "ignorant, common", 'ignorant, common'; Chaucer's Parson reasons that 'if a preest be foul, on whom we truste, no wonder is a lewed man to ruste'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s lewd "crude and offensive", sank through 'vile, base' to 'lustful, obscene'.