What does bowdlerize mean?
To bowdlerize a text is to remove or rewrite the parts considered vulgar, obscene, or morally objectionable — and, by implication, to damage it in the process. The word derives from Thomas Bowdler, whose 1818 'Family Shakespeare' offered the Bard's plays stripped of language and scenes he judged unfit for women and children. Because of these origins, calling an edition 'bowdlerized' is rarely neutral praise: the term suggests prudish meddling that flattens an author's voice, blunts satire, or falsifies history. It is most often used of literary classics prepared for young or squeamish readers — Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Mark Twain have all been frequent victims — but it extends naturally to films, songs, and translations softened for modern audiences. Writers and critics invoke it whenever they want to argue that cleaning up art comes at the cost of truthfulness. Related forms include 'bowdlerization', the act or result, and 'Bowdlerism', the practice itself.
verbTo expurgate a text or work by removing or altering material considered indecent, offensive, or otherwise unsuitable, especially in a way that damages or distorts the original.
- To remove or alter passages in a text that are considered vulgar, obscene, or offensive, typically producing a weakened or distorted version.
"The publisher bowdlerized the novel, cutting every passage that might offend Victorian sensibilities."
"Early editors bowdlerized Chaucer, replacing his earthiest lines with polite euphemisms."
"Critics accused the streaming service of bowdlerizing the film's dialogue for younger audiences."
The word is named after Thomas Bowdler, who in 1818 published 'The Family Shakespeare' — a version of Shakespeare with all the naughty bits removed, giving us a verb for sanitizing art.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bowdlerize
Bowdlerize is an eponym formed from the name of Thomas Bowdler (1754–1825), the English physician and editor who published 'The Family Shakespeare' in 1818, an edition of Shakespeare's plays expurgated of passages he considered unsuitable for family reading. The verb entered English shortly afterward, in the early nineteenth century, and quickly became the standard term for prudish textual censorship. Its derivative 'bowdlerization' followed soon after; the word has no deeper Latin or Greek root beyond its proper-name origin.
Related word forms
How bowdlerize is actually used
Usually carries a negative connotation, implying overzealous or misguided prudishness that compromises the integrity of the original work. Often applied to literary classics adapted for children or sensitive audiences. The capitalized form 'Bowdlerize' sometimes appears in reference to Thomas Bowdler specifically.
Easily confused with bowdlerize
Censoring is the broader act of suppressing content, often by an authority, whereas to bowdlerize specifically means to prudishly expurgate a text of material deemed improper.