profanity
profanity — noun
1. Language or behaviour that treats a god, a religion, or anything people consider
Language or behaviour that treats a god, a religion, or anything people consider holy without proper respect.
The audience gasped when the actor shouted profanity during the live religious broadcast.
uncountable usage for disrespectful language toward holy things
In many traditional communities, any form of profanity near a temple is deeply offensive.
countable: a form of profanity
The monk asked the visitors to avoid profanity while they were inside the monastery.
Kofi later apologised for the profanity he used during the funeral service at the church.
- blasphemy
stronger, specifically about speaking against God; profanity is broader and can include behaviour
- irreverence
softer and more general; can describe any lack of respect, not only toward religion
- sacrilege
stronger and often about physical actions against holy objects or places, not just language
用法筆記
Uncountable when referring to the general concept of disrespect toward holy things. Countable when referring to a specific act or utterance — for example, 'That remark was a profanity against our faith.'
常見錯誤
2. A taboo word or rude expression, often about sex or bodily functions, that peopl
A taboo word or rude expression, often about sex or bodily functions, that people use when they feel angry, surprised, or strongly emotional.
The movie was full of profanities that made it unsuitable for young children.
plural countable: profanities
When Valentina hit her thumb with the hammer, she let out a string of profanities.
collocation: a string of profanities
The principal made the student write down every profanity from the fight.
Although the comedian dropped a few profanities into his routine, the audience found him hilarious.
Trang's email to her boss contained profanities, so she was called to a meeting.
- swearing
uncountable, more informal; describes the act of using bad language rather than the words themselves
- cursing
common in American English; can mean both swearing and wishing harm on someone
- obscenity
stronger and more formal; usually relates specifically to sexual content that is deeply offensive
- vulgarity
broader; includes rude jokes and toilet humour, not just taboo words
- politeness
socially appropriate language; the opposite of using offensive words
- decorum
formal, proper behaviour and speech expected in serious settings
用法筆記
Almost always countable in this sense. The plural form 'profanities' is very common when listing or describing multiple offensive words. Less formal than 'obscenity'.