taboo

1 of 3

adjective

ta·​boo tə-ˈbü 

ta-

variants or less commonly tabu

1

a

: banned on grounds of morality or taste

the subject is taboo

b

: banned as constituting a risk

the area beyond is taboo, still alive with explosives

—Robert Leckie

2

: forbidden to profane use or contact because of what are held to be dangerous supernatural powers

taboo

2 of 3

noun

variants or less commonly tabu

plural taboos also tabus

1

a

: a prohibition imposed by social custom or as a protective measure

… they may have developed a taboo against eating fish.

—Jared Diamond

b

: something that is not acceptable to say, mention, or do : something that is taboo

… the tacticians in a conservative Republican Administration now deem membership in the club a taboo.

—Peter J. Boyer

2

: a prohibition against touching, saying, or doing something for fear of immediate harm from a supernatural force

3

: belief in taboos

taboo

3 of 3

verb

variants or less commonly tabu

tabooed also tabued; tabooing also tabuing; taboos also tabus

transitive verb

1

: to set apart as taboo especially by marking with a ritualistic symbol

2

: to avoid or ban as taboo

Synonyms

Adjective

• banned
• barred
• forbidden
• impermissible
• interdicted
• outlawed
• prohibited
• proscribed
• verboten

Examples of taboo in a Sentence

Adjective

Sex is a taboo subject for many people.

In this company, dating a coworker is considered taboo.

Noun

religious taboos against drinking alcohol

Marrying a close relative is a taboo in many cultures.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As someone who’s done intense healing over the past 10 years—ayahuasca, energy work, and laser skin treatments—unfamiliar wellness techniques shouldn’t be taboo. —Essence, 13 Dec. 2024

Many women have been socialized to avoid discussing money, viewing it as taboo or unimportant. —Melissa Houston, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024

Noun

Their voices, combined with growing scientific evidence, are working to shift public perception from viewing cannabis as a taboo subject to one that’s accepted and celebrated for its wellness potential. —Matt Rozo, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024

At mid-century, Chappel explains, there was a powerful taboo against the subject. —Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

Verb

Basically, Pluto rules taboo topics that lie under the surface and that are hard to talk about. —Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 27 Apr. 2021

Simply repurposing her stylish wardrobe, which is normally taboo in Hollywood. —Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Tongan tabu

First Known Use

Adjective

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

taboo

1 of 2 adjective

ta·​boo

variants also tabu

tə-ˈbü 

ta-

: prohibited by a taboo

taboo

2 of 2 noun

variants also tabu

plural taboos also tabus

1

: a prohibition against touching, saying, or doing something for fear of immediate harm by a superhuman force

2

: a prohibition established by social custom

Etymology

Adjective

from tabu, a word in a language of the people of a South Sea island, meaning "taboo"

Medical Definition

taboo

1 of 2 noun

ta·​boo

variants also tabu

tə-ˈbü, ta- 

plural taboos also tabus

1

: a prohibition in some cultures against touching, saying, or doing something for fear of immediate harm from a mysterious superhuman force

2

: a prohibition imposed by social custom or as a protective measure

the view that incest, not cannibalism, was the world's first taboo

—Phyllis Grosskurth

3

: belief in taboos

taboo adjective

also tabu

taboo

2 of 2 transitive verb

variants also tabu

: to avoid or ban as taboo