What is the meaning of the phrase ‘Prim and proper’?
The phrase ‘Prim and proper’ has multiple meanings, including: neat, tidy, correct, traditional, formal, polite, well-presented/groomed/mannered.
What is the origin of the phrase ‘Prim and proper’?
According to etymologists, the word ‘Prim’ has been used in the English language as both a verb and an adjective. It may be derived from the Latin or French languages. It is believed to have been used as long ago as the late 1600s.
The word ‘Prim’ on its own is taken to mean ‘Formal’ or ‘Precise’. The phrase ‘Prim and proper’ later developed seemingly as a more emphatic way of saying ‘Prim’.
The use of the phrase ‘Prim and proper’ was much more prevalent in the 1800s, when it was used in literary classics. The renowned author Charlotte Brontë, wrote several books where many of the book’s characters fit the phrase ‘Prim and proper’ owing to their appearance and demeanour. In the book ‘Jane Eyre’ published in the year 1847, for example, Blanche Ingram, the Lowood Institution, and Helen Burns can be said to be very prim and proper.
During this time, the phrase was most often used to describe people who were well behaved, with the highest levels of etiquette, adhering to an ideal of social norms, modesty and restraint.
What are some notable uses of the phrase ‘Prim and proper’?
Despite the almost Victorian vibes of the phrase, the phrase ‘Prim and proper’ is still very much in use today. For instance, in both the film and the series ‘Downton Abbey’ the character Lady Mary Crawley might be described as “prim and proper” given her very formal demeanour and appearance, maintaining a facade of perfection and adherence to the social etiquette of the time.
Similarly, the character of ‘Mary Poppins’, played by Julie Andrews, in the film of the same name, is often described as “prim and proper” due to her meticulous appearance and strict yet kind demeanour.
More recently, the British rap artist Tinie Tempah used the phrase ‘Prim and proper’ in his debut single ‘Pass out’ released in the year 2010.
