obscene

The definition of obscene is offensive, indecent or disgusting.

(adjective)

An example of something obscene is a curse word.

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See obscene in Webster's New World College Dictionary

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

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

Related Forms:

See obscene in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
  1. Offensive to accepted standards of decency or modesty.
  2. Inciting lustful feelings; lewd.
  3. Repulsive; disgusting: “The way he writes about the disease that killed her is simply obscene” (Michael Korda).
  4. So large in amount as to be objectionable or outrageous: “local merchants in nearby stores get hammered by stratospheric rents and obscene taxes” (Joe Queenan).

Origin:

Origin: Latin obscēnus

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Related Forms:

  • ob·sceneˈly adverb

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