nude
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /njˈuːd/
US
- /ˈnud/
Description
- unclothed
- bare
- skin-toned
- shown without clothes
The word "nude" usually makes people think of someone without clothes, and that is still its main meaning. You might see it in phrases like "nude beach" or "nude photo." In art, it often describes a person shown without clothes, especially in painting, drawing, or sculpture. In fashion, makeup, and design, "nude" is also used for a soft color that is close to a person's skin tone.
Context matters a lot. In art, "nude" is often used in a formal way and is not always meant to sound sexual. In everyday talk, though, it usually has a direct link to the body and to not wearing clothes. When it is used for color, it often suggests something natural, plain, or neutral.
The word "nude" is most often used for a person who is not wearing clothes, or for something that shows a person in that state. You may hear it in everyday phrases such as "nude beach," "nude scene," or "nude model." In many cases it is a direct and clear word, so the tone depends heavily on the situation.
In art, "nude" has a special place. It is often used for paintings, drawings, and sculptures that show the human body without clothes, especially when the focus is on form, shape, balance, or beauty rather than on sex. Because of that, people sometimes make a small distinction between "nude" and "naked," with "nude" sounding more formal or artistic, though in normal conversation the two can overlap.
"Nude" is also common as a color word. In clothing, cosmetics, and product design, it usually means a shade that is close to skin tone. That can include beige, tan, pink-beige, or similar soft neutral colors. The exact shade depends on the speaker, the brand, and the person being described, which is why the term can sometimes feel too narrow or unclear if it suggests only one kind of skin color.
Less often, "nude" can describe something plain, bare, or uncovered, but that use is much less common than the meanings related to the body, art, and color. Overall, it is a useful word, but one that needs context. In one setting it may sound artistic or technical, and in another it may sound personal, bold, or sensitive.
Examples
- 1
Art model
The model stood nude while the art students sketched her.
- 2
Beach
That part of the beach is for people who want to sunbathe nude.
- 3
Publishing
The magazine refused to publish the nude photo.
- 4
Fixed phrase
He joked that he sleeps in the nude.
Phrase
in the nude
without wearing clothes
- 5
Fashion color
She wore nude heels with a black dress.
Meaning
nude
a skin-colored shade, especially in clothes or makeup
- 6
Art noun
The museum owns several nudes by the same artist.
Meaning
a nude
a painting, photo, or sculpture of a person with no clothes on
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- nudenounadjective
Forms
- nudespluralnounadjective
- nudercomparativeadjectivenoun
- nudestsuperlativeadjectivenoun