adjective
-
relating to or involving incest
an incestuous union
-
guilty of incest
-
obsolete resulting from incest
an incestuous bastard
-
resembling incest in excessive or claustrophobic intimacy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of incestuous
1525–35; < Late Latin incestuōsus, equivalent to Latin incestu- stem of incestus incest + -ōsus -ous
Vocabulary lists containing incestuous
Novel Study: Hamlet, Acts 1–2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Some theorize this incestuous recursion could be the beginning of the end for generative AI.
From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2023
Previous studies of ancient DNA obtained from Tut and several other members of the royal family revealed clues to his incestuous lineage.
From Scientific American ● Nov. 4, 2022
She alluded to the incestuous nature of Olympic organizational bodies.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 11, 2022
If the episode proves one thing, it is that sibling rivalries can be perilous in the often incestuous world of British politics.
From New York Times ● Sep. 5, 2019
This loose, slippery, and incestuous relationship between facts and theories is called the principle of underdetermination.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
