Dictionary

proud

see also: Proud

Etymology

From Middle English proud, prout, prut, from Old English prūd, prūt (compare Old English prȳtung; prȳde, prȳte), probably from Old French prod, prud (modern French preux), from Late Latin prode, derived from Latin prosum; however, the Old English umlaut derivatives prȳte, prȳtian, etc.

Cognate with nds-de praud, Old Norse prúðr (Icelandic prúður, Middle Swedish prudh, Danish prud).

Pronunciation

IPA: /pɹaʊd/

Adjective

proud (comparative prouder, superlative proudest)

Feeling honoured (by something); feeling happy or satisfied about an event or fact; gratified.
I am proud of Sivu’s schoolwork.
1. That makes one feel proud (of something one did)
  That was not the proudest thing I did but I can’t deny it.
Possessed of a due sense of what one deserves or is worth.
I was too proud to apologise.
- 1963, Margery Allingham, “Justifiably Angry Young Man”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC ↗, page 93 ↗:
  I remember a lady coming to inspect St. Mary's Home where I was brought up and seeing us all in our lovely Elizabethan uniforms we were so proud of, and bursting into tears all over us because "it was wicked to dress us like charity children". We nearly crowned her we were so offended.
(chiefly, biblical) Having too high an opinion of oneself; arrogant, supercilious.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Proverbs 16:5 ↗:
  Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand ioyne in hand, he ſhall not be vnpuniſhed.
- 1609 February–August (date written), J[ohn] Donne, “[Holy Sonnets] Sonnet VI [Death Be Not Proud]”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC ↗, page 35 ↗:
  Death be not proud; though ſome have called thee / Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not foe, [...]
Generating a sense of pride; being a cause for pride.
It was a proud day when we finally won the championship.
(Of things) standing upwards as in the manner of a proud person; stately or majestic.
Standing out or raised; swollen.
After it had healed, the scar tissue stood proud of his flesh.
The weld was still a bit proud of the panel, so she ground it down flush.
(obsolete) Brave, valiant; gallant.
(obsolete) Excited by sexual desire; specifically of a female animal: in heat.