curse word

American  

noun

1. a profane or obscene word, especially as used in anger or for emphasis; curse.

   Synonyms:

   swear word, profanity, obscenity, oath, cussword, cuss

2. any term conceived of as offensive.

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Etymology

Origin of curse word

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

I’ve covered Nancy Pelosi for more than three decades and never once heard her utter a curse word, in public or private.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2025

Just one offensive or curse word can lead to a parental advisory label, so what’s defined as explicit can be subjective.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 3, 2023

Friends wonder whether they have ever heard Ryans use a curse word.

From Washington Post • Jan. 21, 2023

But having solved the mystery of her mother, Jo chooses to return to her responsibilities in the terrestrial, persecutory world where magic is a curse word.

From New York Times • Aug. 9, 2022

And if I didn’t know what a curse word meant, all I had to do was ask her and she would explain it to me—in detail.

From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio