What Is A Rake? The Bridgerton Term Explained

Netflix's Bridgerton has entered plenty of archaic terms back into the pop culture lexicon, but few have caught on quite like the word "rake".

Re-introducing archaic terms like "rake" back into the popular lexicon, Bridgerton has helped to make outdated words popular again. Debuting in 2020, the Netflix original series follows the love lives of the Bridgerton siblings as they navigate the complicated world of the aristocracy during England's Regency Era. An immediate smash hit, Bridgerton took the period romance drama formula and turned it on its ear by introducing anachronistic elements to the story which helped to make it accessible to modern audiences. Conversely, the classical culture of Bridgerton's era has also been introduced back into the modern day thanks to its extensive vocabulary.

Outside its steamy romance and interesting characters, Bridgerton was also such an immediate success because of its lavish set design and amazing costumes that resurrected the Regency Era but with hints of modern flair. Based on the Julia Quinn novel series, Bridgerton naturally has a literary vibe, and that includes the use of older words that still have meaning in the modern day. The cast of Bridgerton is often bandying about words to describe one another, and the descriptive term "rake" has particularly been applied to several characters across the show's seasons.

Among the show's extensive vocabulary, the word "rake" is a Bridgerton stalwart and was even introduced into the lexicon of the series in the very first episode. In season 1, episode 1, "Diamond of the First Water", Eloise Bridgerton referred to Simon Basset as a "rakish Duke" which was an apt description. A rake is someone, usually a man, who has many romantic exploits and is well-known for being a scoundrel while still being someone likable in their own way. Simon's aloof rejection of polite society, and his titles, made him a textbook rake, but his relationship with Daphne allowed him to settle down and shed his rakish behavior.

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The term was also liberally applied to the eldest Bridgerton sibling, Anthony, and he had earned that reputation by bouncing from woman to woman with little regard for finding a wife. However, that all changed in the second season when he became more focused and took his pursuit of a soulmate more seriously. The season began with Lady Whistledown referring to Anthony as a former rake in season 2, episode 1, "Capital R Rake", and it was obvious that he had changed. He completely shed his rakish past in the important "Wrecking Ball" scene in which he and Kate finally professed their love for one another.

Season 3 of the show has the chance to break the rake leading man trend on Bridgerton, as the highly anticipated season is slated to focus on Colin Bridgerton. Though the character undoubtedly checks all the high-society boxes that make him and many other characters swoon-worthy, he is an honest and committed young man who doesn't exhibit any of the "lovable scoundrel" traits of a rake. His long-running friendship with Penelope Featherington is certain to blossom into romance in Bridgerton season 3, but the kind and charming Bridgerton sibling hasn't played any emotional games with her so far.

Dalton is a freelance writer, novelist, and filmmaker from Orlando Florida. He currently lives in Los Angeles and pursues writing full-time. He is an avid reader and film buff who also publishes novels on the side. Dalton graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BFA in Film and he often applies his industry-specific knowledge when writing about film and television. Along with his blog, Dalton's critical essays on film have been published in various places online.