prig

UK: /ˈprɪg/ US: /prɪg/ ,(prig)

Inflections of 'prig' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

prigs

v 3rd person singular

prigging

v pres p

prigged

v past

prigged

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

prig¹ /prɪg/   n. [countable]

1. a person overly concerned with strictly proper conduct.

prig•gish, adj.: 

He could be really priggish about anyone having even a few drinks.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

prig¹  (prig), n. 

1. a person who displays or demands of others pointlessly precise conformity, fussiness about trivialities, or exaggerated propriety, esp. in a self-righteous or irritating manner.

• 1560–70; formerly, coxcomb; perh. akin to prink

prig′gish, adj. 
prig′gish•ly, adv. 
prig′gish•ness, n. 
Synonyms

prude, puritan, bluenose.

prig²  (prig), v., prigged, prig•ging, n. 
v.t. 

1. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] to steal.

v.i. 

2. Scottish Terms to haggle or argue over price.
3. British Terms to beg or entreat;
   ask a favor.

n. 

4. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] a thief.

• 1505–15; origin, originally thieves' cant; origin, originally uncertain

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

prig / prɪɡ/ noun

1. a person who is smugly self-righteous and narrow-minded

Etymology: 18th Century: of unknown origin

ˈpriggery, ˈpriggishness noun

ˈpriggish adjective

ˈpriggishly adverb

prig / prɪɡ/ verb (prigs, prigging, prigged)

1. another word for steal

noun

1. another word for thief

Etymology: 16th Century: of unknown origin