obscenity

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əbˈsɛnɪti/ UK /əbˈsɛnɪti/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
the quality of being offensively indecent; an obscene word or act

He shouted an obscenity when the door slammed shut on his fingers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of being... indecency lewdness vulgarity profanity filth smut

Opposites

decency modesty propriety purity

Word family

Related forms obsceneobscenely

Etymology

From Latin obscenitas ('impurity, indecency'), from obscenus ('offensive, repulsive'), of uncertain origin.

obscenitas Latin obscenus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# obscenity

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** əbˈsɛnɪti
**IPA (UK):** əbˈsɛnɪti

## Meanings
1. the quality of being offensively indecent; an obscene word or act

## Examples
- He shouted an obscenity when the door slammed shut on his fingers.

## Synonyms
- indecency
- lewdness
- vulgarity
- profanity
- filth
- smut

## Antonyms
- decency
- modesty
- propriety
- purity

## Related Forms
- obscene
- obscenely

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: obscenitas
- Root: obscenus

## Etymology
From Latin obscenitas ('impurity, indecency'), from obscenus ('offensive, repulsive'), of uncertain origin.

## AI Etymology
Obscenity is from Latin obscenitas ('impurity, indecency'), from obscenus ('offensive, repulsive'), of uncertain origin. Important recorded forms include obscenitas (Latin) and obscenus (Latin). Its earlier history remains partly uncertain, so the etymological chain is best treated cautiously. In current use it covers the quality of being offensively indecent; an obscene word or act. The wider family includes related words such as obscene and obscenely.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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