nude

nude — adjective

1. completely without any clothes on the body; not covered by any clothing.

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

completely without any clothes on the body; not covered by any clothing.

Example

Hugo's little nephew ran across the lawn completely nude after his bath.

predicative use: completely nude after [event]

The resort has a private cove where guests may swim nude if they choose.

collocation: swim nude

Common collocations
  • completely nude
  • strip nude
  • go nude
  • pose nude
  • swim nude
  • nude model
Synonyms
  • naked

    more common in everyday speech; 'naked' can also be figurative (naked truth), whereas 'nude' is usually literal

  • bare

    refers to a part of the body being uncovered (bare arms, bare feet), not the whole body

  • unclothed

    more formal and clinical; common in legal or medical contexts

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be + nude

go + nude

pose + nude

swim + nude

Common Mistakes

She was nude naked.
She was nude.' or 'She was naked.
'nude' and 'naked' mean the same here; never use both together.

2. having a pale pinkish-brown colour that is similar to the skin of many white peo

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

having a pale pinkish-brown colour that is similar to the skin of many white people, used especially for clothes or cosmetics that are meant to blend in with the wearer's skin.

Example

Yael wore a pair of nude heels with her evening dress to elongate her legs.

attributive use: nude + noun (heels)

Apinya chose a nude lipstick that looked completely natural on camera.

attributive use: nude + noun (lipstick)

Common collocations
  • nude lipstick
  • nude heels
  • nude tights
  • nude shade
  • nude nail polish
  • nude bra
Synonyms
  • skin-coloured

    more general term, but also often criticised for referring to a default white skin tone

  • natural

    used in cosmetics to describe a shade that blends in with the wearer's own skin

  • flesh-toned

    dated term for light beige; similar concerns about exclusivity

Grammar Patterns

nude + noun (clothing or cosmetic item)

Usage Note

'Nude' as a colour traditionally refers to a light beige tone and may not match darker skin tones. Many brands now use more specific shade names (e.g. 'sand', 'almond', 'caramel') to be more inclusive.

Common Mistakes

She bought nude shoes to match her dark brown skin.' (if the shoes are pale beige)
She bought shoes in a shade that matched her dark brown skin.
'Nude' as a colour still commonly refers to a light beige tone and may not suit all skin tones.

3. an old-fashioned word for a light pinkish-brown colour; this label is now seen a

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

an old-fashioned word for a light pinkish-brown colour; this label is now seen as offensive by many people because it assumes that white skin is the only standard.

Example

The old dress pattern called the fabric 'nude', but many now find that term inappropriate.

register note: dated/offensive use of 'nude' as a colour

Some fashion brands have dropped the word 'nude' because it excludes darker-skinned customers.

Common collocations
  • 'nude' colour
  • 'nude' shade
  • described as nude
  • labelled nude

Grammar Patterns

nude + noun (colour or product name)

Usage Note

This sense is grammatically identical to sense 2 (SKIN-COLOURED) but carries a different social meaning. The word 'nude' as a colour term is increasingly avoided in favour of inclusive alternatives (e.g. 'natural', 'neutral', or specific shade names). Learners should be aware that using 'nude' for a light beige colour may cause offence.

Common Mistakes

I love this nude nail polish — it looks great on everyone.
I love this natural nail polish shade
it works for many skin tones.' — Avoid 'nude' as a colour descriptor in modern inclusive contexts.

nude — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Naked is the most common everyday word for being without clothes. It appears in both literal and figurative uses (naked truth, naked aggression) and can carry emotional weight — feeling naked suggests vulnerability or exposure. Nude is more neutral and objective; it is the preferred term in art, photography, journalism, and legal contexts because it avoids emotional overtones. Bare refers to a specific part of the body being uncovered rather than the whole body — you can have bare feet or bare arms while being otherwise dressed. Unclothed is more formal and clinical, often found in medical or official documents. Undressed focuses on the action or result of having removed clothes: someone might be undressed ready for a shower, but you would not describe a painting as undressed. For example: 'The model posed nude for the art class' (professional); 'He felt naked without his watch' (figurative, vulnerable); 'She walked barefoot on the warm sand' (specific body part).

naked ↗bare ↗unclothedundressed

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in the nude
  • nude from the waist up
  • strip down to nude

Prepositions

  • in the nude
  • without clothes

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'nude' entered English in the early 1500s from Middle French 'nu' (meaning 'bare, unclothed'), which itself came from Latin 'nudus' (meaning 'bare, naked, stripped'). The Latin root 'nudus' is related to the older English word 'naked', which comes from the same ancient Indo-European root *nogw- ('bare, naked'). Over time, 'nude' developed a more neutral and formal tone than 'naked', and by the 1700s it was the standard term in art criticism and legal language. The colour sense (pale beige) emerged in the early 1900s in the fashion and cosmetics industries.