profane
Americanadjective
-
characterized by irreverence or contempt for God or sacred principles or things; irreligious.
- Synonyms:
- ungodly, impious, sacrilegious, blasphemous
- Antonyms:
- sacred
-
not devoted to holy or religious purposes; unconsecrated; secular (sacred ).
- Synonyms:
- temporal
- Antonyms:
- spiritual
-
unholy; heathen; pagan.
profane rites.
- Synonyms:
- unhallowed
- Antonyms:
- holy
-
not initiated into religious rites or mysteries, as persons.
-
common or vulgar.
adjective
-
having or indicating contempt, irreverence, or disrespect for a divinity or something sacred
-
not designed or used for religious purposes; secular
-
not initiated into the inner mysteries or sacred rites
-
vulgar, coarse, or blasphemous
profane language
verb
-
to treat or use (something sacred) with irreverence
-
to put to an unworthy or improper use
Other Word Forms
- half-profane adjective
- nonprofane adjective
- nonprofanely adverb
- nonprofaneness noun
- profanation noun
- profanatory adjective
- profanely adverb
- profaneness noun
- profaner noun
- semiprofane adjective
- semiprofanely adverb
- semiprofaneness noun
- unprofane adjective
- unprofaned adjective
- unprofanely adverb
- unprofaneness noun
Etymology
Origin of profane
1350–1400; (adj.) < Latin profānus literally, before (outside of ) the temple; replacing Middle English prophane < Medieval Latin prophānus desecrated ( pro- 1, fane ); (v.) < Latin profānāre, derivative of profānus; replacing Middle English prophanen < Medieval Latin prophānāre to desecrate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They helped to distract outsiders from the truly profane event: the growing misalignment of interests between the people who trafficked in financial risk and the wider culture.
From Literature
The artist initially intended to create five matching versions of his toilet, which he titled “America” as a way to question which spaces in a museum get deemed sacred versus profane.
An opera disguised as an oratorio to get around the church’s ban on profane opera, the impolitic work about past and present is formed as the conflict between extravagance and sanctity.
From Los Angeles Times
Meanwhile, Morgan became a reliable scene stealer in acerbic British comedies, often playing bluntly profane characters with little regard for social niceties.
From Los Angeles Times
In 1431, the ecumenical Council of Basel ordered the deans and rectors of churches to expel "frivolities" and "profane abuses" from holy buildings, but implicitly allowed them to take place in the squares outside.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
