Bad language

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Profanity. uncountable

    "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. Consider for a moment the origins of almost any word we have for bad language – "profanity", "curses", "oaths" and "swearing" itself."

Synonyms

All synonyms
billingsgateblue languagecolorful languagecursecursingcussing

Example

More examples

"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. Consider for a moment the origins of almost any word we have for bad language – "profanity", "curses", "oaths" and "swearing" itself."

Next best steps

Browse writing guidesExplore topic clusters