Taboo
noun / adjective /təˈbuː/ — A social or religious prohibition on contact with a particular thing
Definition
A prohibition against discussing or doing something — a subject, action, or object that is forbidden by social, religious, or cultural convention. Taboos define the limits of the acceptable and mark the boundaries of the community.
Beyond the definition
Taboo is the word for the forbidden that nobody needed to explicitly forbid — everyone just knows. Taboos mark the edges of a community's self-understanding. Where taboos are shared, community exists; where they differ, culture clashes.
Origin & history
Tongan: tabu (sacred, forbidden). Brought into English by Captain James Cook in 1777. One of the few words in English taken directly from Oceanic culture. The Polynesian concept of the sacred-forbidden entered Western languages intact.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Captain Cook brought the word 'taboo' back from Tonga in 1777 — one of English's genuine borrowings from the Pacific.
Every culture has taboos around death, sex, and food — the body's three great territories.
Naming the taboo is often the first step to questioning whether it should remain one.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Taboo” when the meaning fits your context: A prohibition against discussing or doing something — a subject, action, or object that is forbidden by social, religious, or cultural convention. Taboos define the limits of the acceptable and mark the boundaries of the community.
Synonyms
prohibition, forbidden subject, cultural restriction
Antonyms
permitted, open for discussion
Related words
Taboo vs verboten
Taboo implies a strong cultural or social prohibition. Verboten suggests a formal, authoritative, or legal ban.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Tense Disagreement Between Adults
Two adults sit at a table, one using pointed gestures while the other raises a hand for pause.
The tension between the adults, where one is forbidden or chooses not to speak, represents a taboo, defining the boundaries of what is acceptable and what must be left unsaid in the community.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Taboo" mean?
Taboo is noun / adjective meaning: A social or religious prohibition on contact with a particular thing. A prohibition against discussing or doing something — a subject, action, or object that is forbidden by social, religious, or cultural convention. Taboos define the limits of the acceptable and mark the boundaries of the community.
Where does the word "Taboo" come from?
Tongan: tabu (sacred, forbidden). Brought into English by Captain James Cook in 1777. One of the few words in English taken directly from Oceanic culture. The Polynesian concept of the sacred-forbidden entered Western languages intact.