obscenity
/əbˈsɛnɪti
/noun (plural obscenities) [mass noun]
1The state or quality of being obscene: the book was banned for obscenity...
- Zine editors, we are told, feel they are immune to the restrictions of copyright, libel and obscenity laws, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and pagination.
- First, while obscenity is illegal, pornography is not, when viewed by adults.
- From common law libel to public obscenity to nude dancing to burning the flag, the Supreme Court has extended legal protection under the aegis of the First Amendment's clause protecting the freedom of speech.
Synonyms
indecency, immorality, impropriety, salaciousness, smuttiness, smut, lewdness, rudeness, vulgarity, dirtiness, dirt, filthiness, filth, foulness, coarseness, crudeness, grossness, vileness, nastiness, impurity, immodesty, indelicacy, indecorousness, unwholesomeness, scabrousness, ribaldry, bawdiness, suggestiveness, eroticism, carnality, lasciviousness, lechery, licentiousness, libidinousness, degeneracy, depravity, amorality, debauchery, dissoluteness, prurience;
scatology, profanity, profaneness
rare bawdry, salacity, lubricity
1.1Obscene behaviour, language, or images: a stream of invective and obscenity...
- They are up to speed in this enlightened world in praising the dramatisation of the sub-culture with the abundance of obscenity and foul language.
- Even the outrageously physical sport of Rugby League is becoming far less tolerant of obscenity and ill behaviour in an effort to become more palatable to the masses, not less.
- And, besides all this we do need a language to deal with obscenity.
1.2 [count noun] An extremely offensive word or expression: the men scowled and muttered obscenities...
- He carries 500 pages of juicy swear words and obscenities with him, which never leaves his hands.
- Unfortunately, it is filled with obscenities and blasphemies of the highest order.
- When the game was over, Drew stalked off, muttering obscenities under his breath.
Synonyms
curse, oath, swear word, expletive, profanity, four-letter word, dirty word, blasphemy, imprecation, malediction, vulgarism, vulgarity;
swearing, bad/foul language, strong language
informal cuss, cuss word
Origin
Late 16th century: from French obscénité or Latin obscaenitas, from obscaenus (see obscene).