Dictionary

dirty word en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈdɚɾijˌwɝd/ (US)
• /ˈdɜːtiˌwɜːd/ (UK)
• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. A word that is considered vulgar, not necessarily sexual in nature.
   • Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths. 2013 June 14, Sam Leith, “Where the profound meets the profane”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 37:
   • The child was made to sit in the corner as punishment for saying a dirty word.
2. (idiomatic) The name of a topic that a person prefers not to hear or discuss.
   • Job is a dirty word to him.

Forms

Relateds

cacophemism · dysphemism · euphemism

Synonyms

profanity (vulgar term) · curse word (vulgar term) · oath (vulgar term) · curse (vulgar term)

Translations (17)

ru бра́нное сло́во (word that is considered vulgar) · sv fult ord (a topic that a person does not like) · sv icke rumsrent ord (word that is considered vulgar) · de Schimpfwort (word that is considered vulgar) · fi kirosana (a topic that a person does not like) · fi ruma sana (word that is considered vulgar) · sv runt ord (word that is considered vulgar) · sv snuskigt ord (word that is considered vulgar) · fi kirosana (word that is considered vulgar) · ru неприли́чное сло́во (word that is considered vulgar) · sv fult ord (word that is considered vulgar) · tr kötü söz (word that is considered vulgar) · pt palavrão (word that is considered vulgar) · pl brzydkie słowo (word that is considered vulgar) · ru руга́тельное сло́во (word that is considered vulgar) · ru руга́тельство (word that is considered vulgar) · fr gros mot (word that is considered vulgar)