How Do You Spell NAUGHTY?

Pronunciation: [nˈɔːti] (IPA)

The spelling of the word "naughty" may seem odd, but it adheres to English language conventions. In IPA phonetic transcription, "naughty" would be written as /ˈnɔːti/. The strange spelling comes from the vowel sound in the first syllable, which is spelled as "au" instead of the more typical "aw." This is likely because the "a" and "u" together create a longer sound, which better represents the way the word is pronounced. Despite its unusual spelling, "naughty" remains a common word in the English language.

NAUGHTY Meaning and Definition

  1. Naughty is an adjective that describes behavior or actions that are disobedient, mischievous, or lacking proper manners or morals. It is often used to characterize a person, particularly a child, who habitually engages in playful, mischievous, or mildly troublesome activities.

    Naughty behavior may involve acts of defiance, intentionally breaking rules or expectations, or being cheeky or disrespectful towards authority figures or peers. This can range from innocent pranks and harmless tricks to more rebellious or thoughtless actions that may cause annoyance or inconvenience.

    The term naughty can also imply a certain degree of playfulness or fun in these actions, suggesting that the individuals usually have a mischievous intent rather than genuinely malicious motives. The word can sometimes be used affectionately or fondly to describe someone who engages in good-natured mischief.

    In colloquial usage, naughty can extend beyond just describing children and can be applied to people of any age who engage in behaviors that challenge societal norms or expectations. However, it generally retains a light-hearted connotation, emphasizing mischievousness rather than serious wrongdoing.

    Overall, naughty refers to behavior that deviates from accepted norms, displaying an element of mischief, playfulness, or defiance while often maintaining a sense of innocence or harmless intentions.

  2. Bad; good for nothing; mischievous or perverse; applied to children in censure.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for NAUGHTY *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for NAUGHTY

Etymology of NAUGHTY

The word "naughty" originated from the Middle English term "noughti", which was derived from the Old English word "nāwiht", meaning "nothing" or "worthless". It was a combination of "nā", meaning "no" or "not", and "wiht", meaning "thing" or "creature". Over time, "noughti" evolved to mean "evil", "wicked", or "morally bad". Today, "naughty" is commonly used to describe mischievous or disobedient behavior, especially in a playful or humorous context.

Idioms with the word NAUGHTY

  • naughty but nice The idiom "naughty but nice" refers to a person or thing that appears mischievous, challenging, or unconventional on the surface, but underneath, it possesses appealing or enjoyable qualities.
  • naughty bits The idiom "naughty bits" refers to the private or intimate parts of the human body, often associated with sexuality. It is commonly used in a humorous or playful context.

Similar spelling words for NAUGHTY

Plural form of NAUGHTY is NAUGHTIES

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