nudist

IPA/ˈnjuːdɪst/
KK[nˈudɪst]IPA/ˈnuːdɪst/

nudist — noun

  • nudistsingular
  • nudistsplural

1. someone who chooses not to wear clothes in daily life, believing that being with

1.nounB2
Definition

someone who chooses not to wear clothes in daily life, believing that being without clothing is natural and good for health.

Example

Ravindra has been a nudist for over twenty years and feels most comfortable without clothes.

subject complement: has been a nudist

The nudists at Sunshine Cove helped clean up the beach after the storm.

Synonyms
  • naturist

    more formal term, especially common in British English; places slightly more emphasis on connection with nature

  • clothes-free advocate

    descriptive and less ideological; used in modern lifestyle contexts

  • nudism practitioner

    very formal or technical; rarely used in everyday conversation

Grammar Patterns

a nudist

the nudists

nudists + plural verb

Usage Note

Countable. The term describes a lifestyle choice or belief system and is not inherently sexual. A more formal synonym is 'naturist', though the two terms have slightly different historical roots.

Common Mistakes

He is a naked person who lives in the forest.
He is a nudist who lives in the forest.
'naked' describes a temporary state of being undressed; 'nudist' describes a person who follows a specific lifestyle.
She visited a naked beach.
She visited a nudist beach.
'naked' describes a person or body, not a place; use 'nudist' for places or communities.

nudist — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Nudist and naturist both describe someone who prefers to live without clothes, but the emphasis differs. Naturist (more common in British English) stresses the philosophy of living in harmony with nature and is often seen as the formal name of the movement. Nudist is the more widely used term internationally and focuses on the practice itself rather than the underlying ideology. A nudist might simply enjoy the physical comfort of being without clothes, while a naturist is more likely to connect the practice to a broader environmental or health philosophy. Clothes-free advocate is a modern, descriptive label used in situations where the speaker wants to avoid the cultural associations of the older terms — for example, a resort may call itself 'clothing-optional' rather than 'nudist' to sound less ideological. In everyday use, nudist is the safest choice for learners because it is the most neutral and widely understood.

naturist ↗nudist ↗clothes-free advocate

Common collocations

Nouns

  • nudist beach
  • nudist resort
  • nudist camp
  • nudist colony
  • nudist club
  • nudist community
  • nudist lifestyle

Phrases

  • nudist + place noun
  • nudist + community noun
  • nudist + lifestyle noun

Prepositions

  • nudist at [place]
  • nudist in [region/country]

Etymology

LatinGermanEnglish

Nudist combines the Latin root nudus (meaning 'naked' or 'bare') with the suffix -ist (denoting a person who follows a practice or belief). The word nudism first appeared in English around 1929, and nudist followed soon after. The concept grew out of the Freikörperkultur ('free body culture') movement in early 20th-century Germany, which promoted exercise and outdoor life without clothing as a return to natural living.