adjective

1. offensive to one's feelings, or to prevailing notions, of modesty or decency; lewd
2. disgusting; repulsive
3. Law designating or of books, films, etc. which when judged by contemporary community standards, are found to appeal to a prurient interest in sex, be patently offensive, and have no serious artistic, scientific, or social value

Etymology: Fr obscène < L obscenus, obscaenus < obs-, var. of ob- (see ob-) + caenum, filth < IE *weino- < base *kwei-, muck, filth > ON hvein, swampy land