pornographic
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of pornographic
First recorded in 1850–55; pornograph(y) ( def. ) + -ic ( def. )
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.
Bali - which is predominantly Hindu and visited by millions of tourists every year - is part of Muslim-majority Indonesia, which strictly forbids the production of pornographic material.
From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025
"The use of highly effective age assurance to protect children from harmful pornographic content is non-negotiable and we will accept no excuses for failure," said Suzanne Cater, director of enforcement at Ofcom.
From BBC • Nov. 20, 2025
Books that get removed from libraries are often described as inappropriate or pornographic, but in practice, many deal with themes of race or include L.G.B.T.Q. characters, according to free speech organization and library groups.
From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2023
In the text, the judge invoked a bizarre bit of legal reasoning: the Comstock Act, a law that Congress passed in 1873 to ban sending pornographic literature, contraceptives, and early abortion-inducing substances through the mail.
From Slate • Apr. 15, 2023
But I may remark that Mr. Shorter did not advocate the censoring of the book, nor did he come within seven Irish miles of describing it as pornographic.
From Books and Persons Being Comments on a Past Epoch 1908-1911 by Bennett, Arnold
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.
