Tuesday, April 2, 2013

profane, adjective


While this adjective is particularly applied to showing contempt or irreverence for what is sacred, it can also apply to secular contexts where being profane can be seen as uninformed, uneducated, or ignorant.

In a further expansion of this, that which is labelled profane can be seen as vulgar, coarse or being put to improper or degrading use.

The word has a rich history dating back to Indo-European roods, moving through Latin profanes then via Old French into Middle English where it became prophane.

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