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pudeur

modesty, sense of decency

noun pew-DEUR Rare
Mind & Emotions Emotions

Origin: Latin pudor (shame, modesty)

Usage Note

pudeur conveys a natural reserve about one's body or intimate feelings — stronger than mere shyness. The adjective pudique means modest or discreet. Par pudeur ('out of modesty/decency') is a common phrase explaining why someone avoids a topic or gesture.

Examples

"Elle baissa les yeux par pudeur."

Natural Translation

She lowered her eyes out of modesty.

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