Pronunciations (5)
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/pɹəˈfænɪti/
Pronunciation notes
- UK
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/pɹəˈfænɪti/
Pronunciation notes
- US
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[pɹəˈfɛənɪti]
Pronunciation notes
- US
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/pɹoʊˈfænɪti/
Pronunciation notes
- US
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[pɹoʊˈfɛənɪti]
Pronunciation notes
- US
Noun
The quality of being profane; quality of irreverence, of treating sacred things with contempt.
Usage- Uncountable
- Examples
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The overwhelming power of his imagination led him to contemplate acts of impiety and profanity, and to a vivid realisation of the dangers these involved.
Obscene, lewd or abusive language.
Usage- Countable
- Synonyms
- Examples
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He ran up and down the street screaming profanities like a madman.
More examples (2)
Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths. Consider for a moment the origins of almost any word we have for bad language – "profanity", "curses", "oaths" and "swearing" itself.
Mr. [Kash] Patel said he would not tolerate any more “Mickey Mouse operations,” an official on the call recounted. It was one of his few utterances without profanity, the person added.
Noun
vulgar or irreverent speech or action
- Broader terms