taboo

Or ta·bu

[tuh-boo, ta-]

adjective

1. proscribed by society as improper or unacceptable.

   Taboo language is usually bleeped on TV.

   Synonyms: forbidden
   Antonyms: permissible, allowed

2. prohibited or excluded from use or practice.

   In art school, painting from photographs was taboo.

3. (among the Polynesians and other peoples of the South Pacific) separated or set apart as sacred; forbidden for general use; placed under a prohibition or ban.

   Synonyms: inviolable, sacrosanct

noun

plural

taboos 

1. a prohibition or interdiction of anything; exclusion from use or practice.

   One of the strongest taboos in all modern societies is against incest.

   Synonyms: no-no, interdiction, embargo, proscription, ban

2. (among the Polynesians and other peoples of the South Pacific)

   1. the system, practice, or act whereby things are set apart as sacred, forbidden for general use, or placed under a prohibition or interdiction.

   2. the condition of being so set apart, forbidden, or interdicted.

3. exclusion from social relations; ostracism.

verb (used with object)

tabooed, tabooing 

1. to put under a taboo; prohibit or forbid.

   Synonyms: proscribe, forbid, ban, prohibit
   Antonyms: sanction, permit, allow

2. to ostracize (a person, group, etc.).

   While he is tabooed, no one may speak to him.

taboo

/ təˈbuː /

adjective

1. forbidden or disapproved of; placed under a social prohibition or ban

   taboo words

2. (in Polynesia and other islands of the South Pacific) marked off as simultaneously sacred and forbidden

noun

1. any prohibition resulting from social or other conventions

2. ritual restriction or prohibition, esp of something that is considered holy or unclean

verb

1. (tr) to place under a taboo

taboo

1. A descriptive term for words, objects, actions, or people that are forbidden by a group or culture. The expression comes from the religion of islanders of the South Pacific.

Word History and Origins

Origin of taboo¹

First recorded in 1770–80; from Tongan tabu “forbidden, prohibited”; the spellings tabu and taboo both appear in Captain James Cook's journal in 1777

Word History and Origins

Origin of taboo¹

C18: from Tongan tapu

Synonym Study

See forbid.

Example Sentences

Her observations of chimp violence marked a turning point for primate researchers, who had considered it taboo to talk about chimpanzee behavior in human terms.

From Los Angeles Times

The fictional Norfolk-based host can be used as a comedic "Trojan horse", he says, to talk about taboo subjects and to "mock different kinds of received wisdom."

From BBC

Once someone is framed as a saint, criticism becomes taboo.

From Salon

It’s the impetus for the entire drama that unfolds in this film, and it feels genuinely risky — a taboo that will be hard for this film to resolve.

From Los Angeles Times

The city’s new mayor, Daniel Lurie, a nonprofit leader and philanthropist, has shaken off left-wing taboos and focused on delivering results.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• anathema 
• inhibition 
• no-no 
• prohibition 
• stricture 
• superstition 

When To Use

What is taboo?

Taboo describes an activity or behavior that is considered completely unacceptable or forbidden. A taboo is also the prohibition from engaging in such an activity or behavior through social rules, laws, religious doctrine, and even by your own conscience.Something considered taboo is considered unacceptable by the vast majority of a person’s social group. Often, there is a serious punishment for performing the taboo activity.Many activities that we refer to as crimes are examples of taboos, such as theft, murder, and kidnapping. These activities are considered unacceptable by the government or the law and have strict punishments.Sacred religious writings also outline specific activities as taboo and shouldn’t be done by the religion’s followers. For example, Jewish law considers pork to be taboo, so many Jewish people do not eat pork.Sometimes, taboos are so unacceptable to a society that laws are not needed to forbid people from doing them. Even thinking about them or reading about them can make you feel disgusted, which gives you an idea of how powerful the label of taboo can be.