What does turps mean?
Turps means disgusting, offensive, or morally degrading qualities, particularly the sort revealed in a person’s conduct, artistic work, entertainment, or surroundings. The expression is normally treated as a mass noun and is commonly found in contexts involving scandal, vulgarity, tastelessness, or corruption: one may complain about “a bit of turps” or describe something as being full of them. Although chiefly associated with informal British English, it is understood in American English and other varieties. Its tone is emphatic and censorious, often stronger and more rhetorical than neutral words such as “badness” or “vulgarity.” Turps is also the plural of the now less common singular noun “turp.” The word is especially useful for conveying collective moral or aesthetic disgust rather than merely describing one unpleasant object or event.
nounDisgusting, offensive, or morally degrading qualities. The word is the plural of turp and is normally used as a mass noun.
- Disgusting, offensive, or morally degrading qualities.
- The plural form of turp, used as a mass noun.
"The film was dismissed as a piece of tasteless turps with little to recommend it."
"What strikes me most about the performance is the sheer amount of turps on display."
"She refused to indulge in the sort of turps that passes for entertainment in some television programmes."
Turps is normally used as a plural mass noun. Its singular form, turp, is comparatively uncommon.
"The article was a scathing catalogue of political turps."
Turps is the plural of a word so old it ultimately points to Latin for anything shameful, foul, or ugly.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does turps come from?
Turps is the plural of turp, a noun now encountered chiefly in this plural form. The word came into English through French turp and ultimately from Latin turpis, meaning “ugly,” “foul,” or “shameful.” Related English forms such as turpitude preserve the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How turps is actually used
Informal and chiefly associated with British English, though understood in American English and other varieties. It carries a strong moral or aesthetic censure and can sound literary, theatrical, or deliberately exaggerated.