Primness
noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The quality or state of being prim, precise, or proper. uncountable, usually
- 2 exaggerated and arrogant properness wordnet
- 3 excessive or affected modesty wordnet
Example
More examples"An anomaly which often struck me in the character of my friend Sherlock Holmes was that, although in his methods of thought he was the neatest and most methodical of mankind, and although also he affected a certain quiet primness of dress, he was none the less in his personal habits one of the most untidy men that ever drove a fellow-lodger to distraction."
Etymology
From prim + -ness.
More for "primness"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.