Profanity
Words considered improper or disrespectful in formal contexts. Derived from Latin profanus ('outside the temple'), profanity originally denoted speech that violated sacred boundaries. The category has expanded well beyond its religious origins to encompass any language deemed unsuitable for polite company.
4 entries
Ass
/æs/
Two distinct etymological lines converge in modern 'ass.' The first, meaning donkey, derives from Old English assa, from...
Bloody
/ˈblʌd.i/
From Old English blōdig ('covered in blood'), from blōd ('blood') + -ig (adjectival suffix). The intensifier usage, firs...
Bollocks
/ˈbɒl.əks/
From Old English beallucas, plural of bealluc, meaning 'testicles.' The term is cognate with Old Norse bǫllr ('ball') an...
Bullshit
/ˈbʊl.ʃɪt/
A compound of 'bull' and 'shit,' first attested in the early 20th century. The 'bull' element has been the subject of co...