pornography

[ pawr-nog-ruh-fee ]

noun

1. sexually explicit videos, photographs, writings, or the like, whose purpose is to elicit sexual arousal.

pornography

/ pɔːˈnɒɡrəfɪ; ˌpɔːnəˈɡræfɪk /

noun

1. writings, pictures, films, etc, designed to stimulate sexual excitement
2. the production of such material

pornography

1. Books, photographs, magazines, art, or music designed to excite sexual impulses and considered by public authorities or public opinion as in violation of accepted standards of sexual morality. American courts have not yet settled on a satisfactory definition of what constitutes pornographic material. ( See obscenity .)

Derived Forms

• porˈnographer, noun
• pornographic, adjective
• ˌpornoˈgraphically, adverb

Other Words From

• por·no·graph·ic [pawr-n, uh, -, graf, -ik], adjective
• porno·graphi·cal·ly adverb
• anti·porno·graphic adjective
• anti·por·nogra·phy noun adjective
• nonpor·no·graphic adjective
• unpor·no·graphic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pornography¹

1840–50; < Greek pornográph ( os ) writing about harlots ( porno-, combining form of pórnē harlot + -graphos -graph ) + -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of pornography¹

C19: from Greek pornographos writing of harlots, from pornē a harlot + graphein to write

Example Sentences

People who bought the dolls posted pictures on social media of the packaging which had a pornography website called Wicked, instead of the movie's web address.

From BBC

Officials also recovered a hard drive containing child pornography with individuals as young as 7, according to the affidavit.

From Los Angeles Times

Former facilities manager at Valley Christian Schools is being federally prosecuted for allegedly soliciting child pornography from students.

From Los Angeles Times

Police told Ms Harris that some members of public had made reports of abuse about the image, titled "This is not pornography".

From BBC

This huge bit of legislation is meant to tackle everything from access to pornography and terrorism content to fake news and children’s safety.

From BBC

Related Words

• smut