Taboo

Definitions

1. An inhibition or ban that results from social custom or emotional aversion.
   countable, uncountable
2. Something which may not be used, approached or mentioned because it is sacred.
   countable, uncountable

Equivalents

37 more languages

العربيةالحراممَحْظُورٌ اجْتِمَاعِيّ

Българскизабранентабу

Bosanskitabu

Catalàtabú

Češtinatabutabuizovat

Dansktabu

Ελληνικάταμπού

Esperantotabuo

Eestitabu

Suomikieltäätabuvälttää

Vosa Vakavititabu

ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻikapu

Hrvatskitabu

Magyartabu

Հայերենտաբու

Bahasa Indonesiapantangpantangantabu

Italianodivietotabùtabuizzare

日本語タブータブーにする地雷排斥する禁制の禁忌禁忌する禁忌の禁止禁止する+ 7 more

ქართულიტაბუ

한국어금기터부

Kurdîtabûtapû

Lietuviųtabu

Te Reo Māoritapu

Македонскитабу

Bahasa Melayupantang

Nederlandstaboetaboeïseren

Polskitabu

Portuguêstabu

Românătabu

Русскийналага́ть табу́табутабуи́рованныйтабуи́ровать+ 1 more

Slovenčinatabu

Gagana Samoatapu

Српскиtabu

Svenskatabutabubeläggatabuera

Kiswahilitambiko

Tagalogkabawalan

Türkçetabu

Examples

“It is true indeed that a taboo - in order⟳ to be a proper taboo - must not rest⟳ in the general mind⟳ on argument or reason⟳.”

“So among the Alfoors of the island of Buru it is taboo to mention⟳ the names of parents and parents-in-law, or even to speak⟳ of common objects by words which resemble⟳ these names in sound⟳.”

“The sharp differentiation of the sexes in our culture was shaped most probably by monogamy and monosexuality and their tabus.”

“For a structuralist like⟳ Edmund Leach, the structure⟳ is the meaning. Genesis, for example, is about incest taboos; all the rest⟳ is noise and mystification.”

“American society has a double⟳ standard when it comes to sexuality. We have⟳ a puritanical taboo against talking about sexuality directly, yet we are fine with the sexual images that pervade television and glossy magazines.”

“Now, we assume⟳ that people who check their watches at dinner are probably trying to avoid⟳ pulling out their phones, which would be ruder and more disruptive. In other words, mass adoption killed the taboo.”

CEFR level