Bowdler, Thomas (1754-1825), a British scholar and doctor of medicine, edited The Family Shakespeare (1818). In editing Shakespeare's plays, Bowdler tampered with some important words and passages, altering or omitting them because he believed they would offend readers. Today, the word bowdlerize refers to this kind of editing. Later scholars regarded Bowdler's approach as prudish and misguided. Bowdler was born near Bath, England.