What does bastardise mean?
Bastardise is a verb meaning to corrupt or degrade something by altering it away from its original, authentic form. The word is used almost exclusively with negative connotations: to say that a work has been bastardised implies that changes have cheapened, distorted, or ruined its essential character. It appears most often in cultural criticism—reviewers may claim a film adaptation has bastardised the novel it is based on, or that a modern renovation has bastardised a historic building. Spelled with a 'z' in American usage ('bastardize') and an 's' in British usage ('bastardise'), it derives from 'bastard', reflecting an older sense in which the word referred to declaring a person illegitimate—that legal meaning survives only as a historical curiosity. Today the verb is a forceful way of expressing disapproval when something valued for its purity or tradition is perceived as having been coarsened or betrayed.
To corrupt or degrade something by altering it from its original or pure form.
"Critics said the studio had bastardised the beloved animated series with its live-action remake."
Almost always used disapprovingly, often in discussions of adaptations, translations, or traditions.
(Archaic) To declare a person illegitimate.
"Under the old statute, the king could bastardise any heir he chose to disinherit."
This historical legal sense is rarely encountered outside accounts of inheritance law and dynastic history.
The same word once used in legal courts to strip heirs of their legitimacy now gets hurled at film adaptations and watered-down coffee recipes.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bastardise
Bastardise derives from 'bastard', a Middle English noun borrowed from Old French 'bastart', denoting a child born out of wedlock; the Old French term itself is of uncertain ultimate origin. The verb first appeared in English around the late sixteenth century, initially carrying both the literal sense of declaring someone illegitimate and the figurative sense of corrupting or debasing something. Its figurative use spread through literary and critical writing, while the literal legal sense faded over time. Cognate forms exist across Romance languages influenced by the same Old French root, such as French 'bâtardiser' and Spanish 'bastardear'.
Related word forms
How bastardise is actually used
The verb is chiefly British in spelling ('bastardise'), with American English preferring 'bastardize'. It carries a strongly negative connotation, implying that the alteration has spoiled or cheapened something regarded as authentic or of high quality. It typically appears in criticism of adaptations, translations, or reforms. The older legal sense—declaring someone illegitimate—is now rare and largely historical.
Easily confused with bastardise
'Bastard' is primarily a noun meaning an illegitimate child or, informally, an unpleasant person, while 'bastardise' is a verb meaning to corrupt or degrade something.