What does bastardised mean?
To be bastardised is to be reduced from an original state regarded as pure, authentic, or superior — usually through corruption, adulteration, or the introduction of inferior elements. The word functions chiefly as the past participle of the verb 'to bastardise' but also stands alone as an adjective describing something already degraded: a bastardised edition of a novel, a bastardised dialect, a bastardised ritual. It carries firmly negative connotations and appears most often in cultural criticism, where purists invoke it against adaptations, translations, recipes, or institutions they feel have been cheapened. Spelled with -s- in British English and -z- ('bastardized') in American English, it derives ultimately from 'bastard', a word for a child born out of wedlock, extended metaphorically to anything whose lineage has been compromised. Because it implies a loss of authenticity rather than mere change, it is a charged term — one that signals disapproval of dilution, distortion, or disrespect toward an esteemed original.
Having been reduced from an original pure, authentic, or superior form through corruption or the addition of inferior elements.
"The translation was widely condemned as a bastardised text that stripped away the author's subtlety."
British spelling uses -s-; American spelling uses -z-.
Describing something that has been degraded, adulterated, or corrupted from its original form.
"She dismissed the theme-park restaurant as serving bastardised versions of regional dishes."
The word traces back to 'bastard' — a term for a child of uncertain parentage — which is why calling something 'bastardised' literally implies its origins have been made impure.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bastardised
The word descends from 'bastard', which entered English from Old French 'bastart' in the medieval period and originally denoted a child born to parents not married to each other. By extension, 'bastard' came to mean anything spurious, irregular, or of debased origin, and from this sense developed the verb 'bastardise' — attested from around the early seventeenth century — meaning to make something illegitimate or corrupt its purity. The '-ised' form reflects British spelling conventions; American usage favours 'bastardized'. Related Romance cognates include French 'bâtardiser' and Spanish 'bastardear'.
Related word forms
How bastardised is actually used
The spelling 'bastardised' with -s- is standard in British English, while American English typically uses 'bastardized' with -z-. The word carries strongly negative connotations and is often used in cultural criticism, particularly regarding adaptations, translations, or traditions perceived to have been cheapened.
Easily confused with bastardised
'Bastardized' is simply the American spelling of the same word; there is no difference in meaning.