profane
pronunciation
How to pronounce profane in British English:
UK [prəˈfeɪn]
How to pronounce profane in American English:
US [prəˈfeɪn]
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- Verb:
- corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
- violate the sacred character of a place or language
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- Adjective:
- characterized by profanity or cursing
- not sacred or concerned with religion
- not holy because unconsecrated or impure or defiled
- grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred
Word Origin
- profane
- profane: [15] Anything that is profane is etymologically ‘outside the temple’ – hence, ‘secular’ or ‘irreligious’. The word comes via Old French prophane from Latin profānus, a compound adjective formed from the prefix prō- ‘before’ (used here in the sense ‘outside’) and fānum ‘temple’ (source of archaic English fane [14]).=> fane
- profane (v.)
- late 14c., from Old French profaner, prophaner (13c.) and directly from Latin profanare "to desecrate, render unholy, violate," from profanus "unholy, not consecrated" (see profane (adj.)). Related: Profaned; profaning.
- profane (adj.)
- mid-15c., "un-ecclesiastical, secular," from Old French profane (12c.) and directly from Latin profanus "unholy, not consecrated," according to Barnhart from pro fano "not admitted into the temple (with the initiates)," literally "out in front of the temple," from pro- "before" (see pro-) + fano, ablative of fanum "temple" (see feast (n.)). Sense of "unholy, polluted" is recorded from c. 1500. Related: Profanely.
Example
- 1. Capital and money are profane gods .
- 2. As these doctors knew , ignorance injured the pure as well as the profane .
- 3. Anyway , they didn 't have sacred and profane then .
- 4. Do not profane my holy name . I must be acknowledged as holy by the israelites .
- 5. If nothing else , mr hirst is likely to be remembered for his unusual aptitude in blurring the line between the sacred and profane .