prig
UK[prɪɡ]US[prɪɡ]
n
A person who behaves in a morally superior way and shows excessive concern for rules and propriety.
Etymology
The origin of 'prig' is obscure, first appearing in English in the 16th century. It may be related to an earlier slang term 'prig' meaning 'tinker' or 'thief', suggesting a person who is sly or prying. The modern sense of a self-righteous, fussy person developed in the 18th century, possibly influenced by the idea of someone who is overly precise or 'pricks' at the faults of others. Its journey from a potential term for a petty criminal to one for a moralistic person illustrates a fascinating shift in societal perceptions of objectionable behavior.
Analysis
The word 'prig' is a simplex word of uncertain origin. It does not have clear, separable morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
He was such a prig that he scolded his friends for laughing too loudly in the library.
Don't be a prig; it's just a bit of harmless fun.
Her priggish attitude made her very unpopular with her more easygoing colleagues.