Profanity
/prəˈfænɪti/
nounB2
Definition
Profanity is language that people often find offensive or disrespectful. It usually includes swear words or bad words that some people do not want to hear because they can be rude or hurtful. Sometimes, profanity is related to religious words used in a wrong way.
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See It in Action
Words or language considered rude or offensive
- •The movie was not allowed in some countries because it had too much profanity.
- •He apologized for using profanity during the meeting.
- •Parents often teach children to avoid profanity.
Language that shows disrespect, especially toward religion
- •Some people feel that using God's name as a curse is profanity.
- •The book was criticized for its profanity against religious beliefs.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'profanity' like 'bad words,' but more serious and often rude or disrespectful
- ✓Picture someone shouting angry words that make others feel uncomfortable or shocked
- ✓It's the feeling when you hear a word that sounds harsh or makes you think of something wrong or rude
- ✓Sounds like 'pro-FAN-ity' → imagine a 'fan' blowing strong wind of rude words around
- ✓In stories or movies, characters use profanity when they are very angry or upset
- ✓NOT like 'polite words' (nice and respectful), profanity is the opposite and can hurt feelings
- ✓NOT like 'jokes' (funny and light), profanity can be serious and offensive
- ✓NOT like 'slang' (informal but not always rude), profanity is always strong or rude language
Try Other Words
- •Swearing: using rude or offensive language (Use when talking about the act of saying bad words)
- •Cursing: saying words that are offensive or call for bad luck (Use when the words are meant to be very strong or harmful)
- •Obscenity: very offensive or shocking language or behavior (Use when the language is extremely rude or sexual)
- •Expletive: a word used to express strong feeling, often rude (Use in formal or technical language studies)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "pro-" (before, forward) + "fanity" (from Latin "fanum" meaning temple or sacred place)
- •Etymology: From Latin "profanus," meaning "outside the temple" or "not sacred," referring to disrespect toward holy things
- •Historical development: Originally meant disrespect to religious places or things; later used for rude or offensive language in general
- •Modern usage: Used to describe rude, offensive, or swear words, especially those that offend religious or social feelings
Reflect & Connect
•How do different cultures decide which words are considered profanity?
•Can profanity ever be acceptable in some situations, like art or comedy?
Fill in the blanks
1.People often use profanity when they feel ___ or ___, showing strong emotions.
2.In many places, using profanity in public can ___ problems or make others feel ___.
3.Unlike slang, profanity is always ___ or ___ language that can offend people.
4.Some religions teach that using certain words is ___ and considered profanity.
5.When someone uses profanity, they usually want to ___ their strong feelings clearly.
6.Movies with a lot of profanity often have age ___ to keep children from watching.
7.People sometimes ___ their use of profanity when they apologize for rude language.