profanity

[ pruh-fan-i-tee, proh- ]

noun

, plural pro·fan·i·ties

1. the quality of being profane; irreverence.

   Synonyms: sacrilege, blasphemy

2. profane conduct or language; a profane act or utterance.

   Synonyms: sacrilege, blasphemy, curse, malediction

3. obscenity ( defs 2, 3 ).

profanity

/ prəˈfænɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being profane
2. vulgar or irreverent action, speech, etc

Other Words From

• nonpro·fani·ty noun plural nonprofanities
• semi·pro·fani·ty noun plural semiprofanities

Word History and Origins

Origin of profanity¹

From the Late Latin word profānitās, dating back to 1600–10. See profane, -ity

Example Sentences

Aside from the obvious exclusions and general blocking of profanity from triggering your campaigns, leveraging contextual query data and search data ahead of pushing new campaigns live can and will save you money in the long run.

From Search Engine Land

Right now, the researchers have used a profanity filter to clean up some particularly egregious language, but it is mostly limited to English.

From MIT Technology Review

While not profanity, effing was bleeped out for broadcast television.

From Washington Blade

Many of the tickets Nucci reviewed at the courthouse, though, cited “profanity.”

From Voice of San Diego

As in Watson’s case, officers involved in seven of the 11 most recent seditious language cases described the violation as “profanity” on the ticket.

From Voice of San Diego

An hour-and-a-half of pure, raucous, profanity-fueled laughter: what a perfect edition of Fashion Police aired on E!

From The Daily Beast

Bieber will push the envelope with the profanity of his times.

From The Daily Beast

His acceptance speech was a reflection of his career, and laced with enough profanity to make a pirate blush.

From The Daily Beast

That we should all muster our human empathy, and create from this profanity a shared understanding of the Iraq War.

From The Daily Beast

Jackson was also blamed for widespread censorship on the airwaves, which went all-out in banning any sort of nudity or profanity.

From The Daily Beast

Never in her life had the vicar's wife been guilty of profanity till now, but the opportunity was too golden to be missed.

From Project Gutenberg

Gwynne called, shouted, approached the verge of profanity, but he might as well have addressed the silent forest.

From Project Gutenberg

The first part of his journey home to the cabin was one of profanity; the second of prayer; the third of grim silence.

From Project Gutenberg

There were plenty of failures, a lot of heartbreak and profanity, an occasional injury—but they kept going, and they got there.

From Project Gutenberg

He studied the numbers again, and allowed himself the rare luxury of an outburst of vari-coloured profanity.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• four-letter word
• obscenity
• swearing