Bowd″ler‐ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Bowdlerized (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Bowdlerizing (?).] [After Dr. Thomas Bowdler, an English physician, who published an expurgated edition of Shakespeare in 1818.] To expurgate, as a book, by omitting or modifying the parts considered offensive.
It is a grave defect in the splendid tale of Tom Jones... that a Bowlderized version of it would be hardly intelligible as a tale. F. Harrison.
— Bowd′ler‐i‐za″tion (#), n. — Bowd″ler‐ism (#), n.