profane
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profane¹
- /pɹəˈfeɪn/ UK
- /pɹəˈfeɪn/ US
- /pɹoʊˈfeɪn/ US
Rhymes with -eɪn
Where it comes from
From Middle English prophane, from Middle French profane, prophaine, prophane and its etymon Classical Latin profānus (“not religious, unclean”) (also Late Latin prophānus), from pro- (“instead of”) + fānum (“temple”).
adjective profaner · more profane · profanest · most profane · prophane
-
Unclean; ritually impure; unholy, desecrating a holy place or thing.
Nothing is profane that serveth to the use of holy things.
Similar: defiled, mishallowed, unhallowed, common, impious, impure, profane, unholy
-
Not sacred or holy, unconsecrated; relating to non-religious matters, secular.
profane authors
Similar: secular, unsanctified, unhallowed, unholy, irreligious, temporal, worldly, ungodly, impious, godless, areligious, civil · Opposite: faithful, holy, orthodox, religious, sacred, sacrosanct, spiritual
- Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or scorn; blasphemous, impious.
-
Irreverent in language; taking the name of God in vain.
a profane person, word, oath, or tongue
Similar: irreverent
Similar: Synonyms: vulgar, inappropriate, obscene, debased, uncouth, offensive, ignoble, mean, lewd, wicked
noun profanes · prophane
- A person or thing that is profane. The nuns were employed in religious duties established in honour of St Clare, and to which no profane was ever admitted.
- A person not a Mason.
profane²
- /pɹəˈfeɪn/ UK
- /pɹəˈfeɪn/ US
- /pɹoʊˈfeɪn/ US
Rhymes with -eɪn
Where it comes from
From Middle English prophanen, from Middle French profaner, prophaner and its etymon Classical Latin profānō (also Late Latin prophāno), from profānus + -ō (suffix forming verbs).
verb profanes · profaning · profaned · prophane
-
To violate (something sacred); to treat with abuse, irreverence, obloquy, or contempt; to desecrate
One should not profane the name of God.
Similar: defile
-
To put to a wrong or unworthy use; to debase; to abuse; to defile.
Similar: abase, adulterate, degrade, demean, misapply, misuse, pervert
Similar: profanate, unhallow · Opposite: consecrate, sanctify
Thesaurus
adjective
Similar: Synonyms: vulgar, inappropriate, obscene, debased, uncouth, offensive, ignoble, mean, lewd, wicked
verb
Similar: profanate, unhallow · Opposite: consecrate, sanctify
Translations
Every language
adj unclean; impure; polluted; unholy
| Español | sacrílego |
|---|---|
| Français | impur, profane, sale |
| Ελληνικά | ανόσιος anósios, ανίερος aníeros |
| Русский | нечести́вый nečestívyj |
adj Not sacred or holy
| Español | profano |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 世俗の sezoku no |
| Português | profano |
| Français | profane |
| Deutsch | weltlich |
| Italiano | sconsacrato, profano, secolare, blasfemo |
| Ελληνικά | ανόσιος anósios, ανίερος aníeros |
| Русский | непосвящённый neposvjaščónnyj, све́тский svétskij, мирско́й mirskój |
adj Treating sacred matters with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or undue familiarity
| Español | profano |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 汚らわしい kegarawashii, 卑賎な hisen na |
| Français | sacrilège |
| Italiano | sacrilego, profano, empio |
| Ελληνικά | βέβηλος vévilos, ιερόσυλος ierósylos |
| Русский | богоху́льный bogoxúlʹnyj |
adj taking the name of God in vain
| Español | blasfemo |
|---|---|
| Русский | богоху́льный bogoxúlʹnyj |
Talk about this word "profane." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/profane. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. profane. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/profane "profane." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/profane.Cite this
@misc{profane_2026,
title = {profane},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/profane},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
