taboo

or ta·bu

[ tuh-boo, ta- ]

adjective

1. proscribed by society as improper or unacceptable:

   Taboo language is usually bleeped on TV.

   Synonyms: forbidden

   Antonyms: permissible, allowed

2. prohibited or excluded from use or practice:

   In art school, painting from photographs was taboo.

3. (among the Polynesians and other peoples of the South Pacific) separated or set apart as sacred; forbidden for general use; placed under a prohibition or ban.

   Synonyms: inviolable, sacrosanct

noun

, plural ta·boos.

1. a prohibition or interdiction of anything; exclusion from use or practice:

   One of the strongest taboos in all modern societies is against incest.

   Synonyms: no-no, interdiction, embargo, proscription, ban

2. (among the Polynesians and other peoples of the South Pacific)
   1. the system, practice, or act whereby things are set apart as sacred, forbidden for general use, or placed under a prohibition or interdiction.
   2. the condition of being so set apart, forbidden, or interdicted.
3. exclusion from social relations; ostracism.

verb (used with object)

, ta·booed, ta·boo·ing.

1. to put under a taboo; prohibit or forbid.

   Synonyms: proscribe, forbid, ban, prohibit

   Antonyms: sanction, permit, allow

2. to ostracize (a person, group, etc.):

   While he is tabooed, no one may speak to him.

taboo

/ təˈbuː /

adjective

1. forbidden or disapproved of; placed under a social prohibition or ban

   taboo words

2. (in Polynesia and other islands of the South Pacific) marked off as simultaneously sacred and forbidden

noun

1. any prohibition resulting from social or other conventions
2. ritual restriction or prohibition, esp of something that is considered holy or unclean

verb

1. tr to place under a taboo

taboo

1. A descriptive term for words, objects, actions, or people that are forbidden by a group or culture . The expression comes from the religion of islanders of the South Pacific.

Word History and Origins

Origin of taboo¹

First recorded in 1770–80; from Tongan tabu “forbidden, prohibited”; the spellings tabu and taboo both appear in Captain James Cook's journal in 1777

Word History and Origins

Origin of taboo¹

C18: from Tongan tapu

Synonym Study

See forbid.

Example Sentences

“There was still some taboo about it,” Beauvais says of actors pivoting to unscripted projects.

From Los Angeles Times

Ms James said she was keen to break "taboos" around death and funerals.

From BBC

But our identities have been weaponized, and our stories have become taboo again.

From Los Angeles Times

But in a country where conversation on menstruation still comes with stigma and taboo, menopause awareness is lagging.

From BBC

"Why are sex and relationships such a taboo for disabled people? There is much more to us than just being able to eat and having a roof over our heads."

From BBC

Related Words

• banned
• outlawed
• prohibited
• tabu
• unthinkable

More About Taboo

What is taboo?

Taboo describes an activity or behavior that is considered completely unacceptable or forbidden. A taboo is also the prohibition from engaging in such an activity or behavior through social rules, laws, religious doctrine, and even by your own conscience.

Something considered taboo is considered unacceptable by the vast majority of a person’s social group. Often, there is a serious punishment for performing the taboo activity.

Many activities that we refer to as crimes are examples of taboos, such as theft, murder, and kidnapping. These activities are considered unacceptable by the government or the law and have strict punishments.

Sacred religious writings also outline specific activities as taboo and shouldn’t be done by the religion’s followers. For example, Jewish law considers pork to be taboo, so many Jewish people do not eat pork.

Sometimes, taboos are so unacceptable to a society that laws are not needed to forbid people from doing them. Even thinking about them or reading about them can make you feel disgusted, which gives you an idea of how powerful the label of taboo can be.

Why is taboo important?

The first records of taboo come from around 1770. It comes from the Tongan word tabu, which means “forbidden” or “prohibited.”

What is and isn’t considered taboo often depends on the culture or beliefs of a particular society. For example, cannibalism is widely considered taboo, but it has actually been practiced by a number of societies throughout history, such as the ancient Aztecs.

Interestingly, a taboo can be so thoroughly ingrained into a person’s mind that they will not perform the activity even if it is unlikely they will be punished for it. For example, a person dying of hunger may choose not to resort to cannibalism even if it means they will die because they consider the act so horrible that they cannot live with the thought of having done it.

Did you know ... ?

Captain James Cook wrote both taboo and tabu for this term in his 1777 journal. He learned about the word on a visit to the island of Tongatapu. Other Pacific islands have similar words for the same idea, such as the Maori tapu and the Hawaiin kapu.

What are real-life examples of taboo?

Having a mental health problem, such as depression, is still considered taboo in some societies, even though a person doesn’t choose to be depressed.

Mental ill health costs the economy 100 billion & is still considered taboo? Time we start taking emotional education seriously no?

— Kate Nash (@katenash) January 16, 2015

The word taboo is often used to refer to behavior that a person feels is unacceptable in their society.

Hugging someone in a business setting is taboo in Japan.

— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) February 10, 2017

Do you think talking about sex is a taboo in India and repressing it causes more sexual crimes?

How do you suggest it should be?

— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) July 23, 2020

What other words are related to taboo?

• forbidden
• unacceptable
• ostracism
• law
• rule
• punishment

Quiz yourself!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym of taboo?

A. unthinkable
B. acceptable
C. prohibited
D. banned