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incest Definition

in·cest (insest′)

noun

  1. sexual intercourse between persons too closely related to marry legally
  2. sexual molestation of a child or adolescent by a relative, esp. by a parent or other adult relative

Etymology: ME < L incestum, moral sin, incest, neut. of incestus, unchaste < in-, not + castus, chaste: see caste

incest Synonyms

incest

n.

inbreeding, interbreeding, Oedipal love, Electral love, mother-son relationship, father-daughter relationship, brother-sister relationship, sexual abuse; see also abuse 3, lewdness.

incest Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • commit: They discovered that they had committed clan incest only when they got back to their rural home where clanship is significant.
  • include: The issues covered in this collection include incest, abuse, and the Holocaust.
  • have: I have NOT commited incest with my brother and I do NOT plan to.

Adjective modifier

  • clinical: Cloning, like clinical incest, is also not illegal in the UK tho it does require a license from the HFEA.

Modifies a noun

  • taboo: Taking the example of the incest taboo, Dean exposes some cultural traits that impart a survival advantage.
  • survivor: She began working with incest survivors early on, helping to bring the issue to national attention in the United States.
  • case: Scandals both financial and sexual have dogged her history since Ananias and Sapphira and the Corinthian incest case.
  • storyline: Note: Incest storyline censored by the BBC - remaining portions merged with other episodes.

Preposition: in

  • church: There is a case of incest in the church - and people think it's OK.
incest Quotes

Property like incest holds the family together.

—Innis, Harold Adams

Browse dictionary entries near incest

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