taboo

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) An inhibition or ban that results from social custom or emotional aversion.
2. (countable, uncountable) Something which may not be used, approached or mentioned because it is sacred.

Adj

1. Excluded or forbidden from use, approach or mention.
2. Culturally forbidden.

Verb

1. To mark as taboo.
2. To ban.
3. To avoid.

Synonyms

forbidden

sacred

prohibition

ban

tabu

holy

forbid

prohibit

prohibited

secret

㊙️

banned

proscribed

bar

interdict

avoid

avoidance

contraindication

restricted

verboten

custom

disallow

outlaw

out

nix

obscenity

prevent

profanity

proscribe

proscription

recant

refuse

restrict

restriction

risque

sacred cow

tab

taint

totem

unmentionable

unspeakable

unutterable

veto

warning

⚠️

bad omen

criminalize

forbidden thing

strictly forbidden

protective magic

obscene word

lewd word

Translations

tabou

Tabu

tabú

tabu

tabú

tabù

taboe

ταμπού

tabu

tabuisieren

interdit

θρησκευτική απαγόρευση

tabú

απαγορεύω

Pronounced as (IPA)

/təˈbuː/

Etymology

Borrowed from Tongan tapu (“prohibited, sacred”), from Proto-Polynesian *tapu, from Proto-Oceanic *tabu, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *tambu. Doublet of kapu. First attested in c. 1777.
The p in the Tongan source was misheard as b.