Puritanical

C1 16+

Pronunciation: /pjʊˌrɪtəˈnɪkəl/

Definitions of puritanical

adjective relating to or characteristic of the Puritans, or their strict moral or religious beliefs

Example Sentences

A1 She comes from a puritanical family that doesn't allow dancing.

A2 The town's puritanical views on alcohol consumption made it difficult for the bar to stay in business.

B1 The strict dress code at the office reflects the puritanical values of the company.

B2 The novel explores the clash between the protagonist's liberal beliefs and the puritanical society in which she lives.

C1 The puritanical attitudes of the community were challenged by the introduction of new ideas and customs.

C2 The puritanical nature of the government led to strict censorship laws that limited freedom of expression.

Examples of puritanical in a Sentence

formal The puritanical beliefs of the early settlers greatly influenced the laws and customs of the new colony.

informal She grew up in a puritanical household where strict rules were enforced at all times.

slang Some people think her puritanical attitude is a bit too much, like chill out, dude.

figurative His puritanical approach to diet and exercise borders on obsession.

Grammatical Forms of puritanical

past tense

puritanicalized

plural

puritanicals

comparative

more puritanical

superlative

most puritanical

present tense

is puritanical

future tense

will be puritanical

perfect tense

has been puritanical

continuous tense

is being puritanical

singular

puritanical

positive degree

puritanical

infinitive

to be puritanical

gerund

being puritanical

participle

puritanicalizing

Origin and Evolution of puritanical

First Known Use: 1590 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The word 'puritanical' originated from the term 'Puritan', which was a member of a Protestant group in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to 'purify' the Church of England from what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'puritanical' has evolved to describe someone who is strict or austere in their moral beliefs and practices, often with a negative connotation of being overly rigid or censorious.