profanity

  • 1profanity — I noun billingsgate, blasphemy, cursing, denunciation, derisive language, desecration, disparagement, disrespect, execration, foul language, foul talk, impietas, invective, malediction, obloquy, profanation, profane language, profaneness,… …

    Law dictionary

  • 2Profanity — Pro*fan i*ty, n. [L. profanitas.] [1913 Webster] 1. The quality or state of being profane; profaneness; irreverence; esp., the use of profane language; blasphemy. [1913 Webster] 2. That which is profane; profane language or acts. [1913 Webster]… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3profanity — c.1600, from L.L. profanitas, from L. profanus (see PROFANE (Cf. profane)). Extended sense of foul language is from Old Testament commandment against profaning the name of the Lord …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4profanity — *blasphemy, cursing, swearing Analogous words: imprecation, *curse, malediction: execration, objurgation, damning (see corresponding verbs at EXECRATE) …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 5profanity — [n] foul language abuse, blasphemy, curse, cursing, cuss, cuss word, dirty language*, dirty name*, dirty word*, execration, four letter word*, impiety, imprecation, irreverence, malediction, no no*, obscenity, profaneness, sacrilege, swearing,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 6profanity — ► NOUN (pl. profanities) 1) profane language or behaviour. 2) an oath or swear word …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7profanity — [prō fan′ə tē, prəfan′ətē] n. [LL(Ec) profanitas] 1. the state or quality of being profane 2. pl. profanities something profane; esp., profane language or the use of profane language SYN. BLASPHEMY …

    English World dictionary

  • 8Profanity — For the Wikipedia policy on profanity, see Wikipedia:Profanity. In cartoons, profanity is often depicted by substituting symbols ( grawlixes ) for words, as a form of non specific censorship. Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or …

    Wikipedia

  • 9profanity — noun 1) he hissed a profanity an outburst of profanity Syn: oath, swear word, expletive, curse, obscenity, four letter word, dirty word; blasphemy, swearing, foul language, bad language, cursing; informal cuss, cuss word; formal imprecation;… …

    Thesaurus of popular words

  • 10profanity — [[t]prəfæ̱nɪti, AM proʊ [/t]] profanities 1) N UNCOUNT Profanity is an act that shows disrespect for a religion or religious beliefs. [FORMAL] To desecrate a holy spring is considered profanity. Syn: sacrilege 2) N COUNT: usu pl Profanities are… …

    English dictionary