Taboo
Culturally off-limits thing
Taboo describes something forbidden by social custom or religious practice—acts, words, or subjects that a community treats as off-limits.
Incest is nearly universal as a taboo.
Certain words become taboo: you can discuss excrement but not say shit in polite company.
As a noun, a taboo is such a prohibition: There's a taboo against speaking ill of the dead.
To call something taboo is to mark it as not merely disapproved but unmentionable.
Mark of dishonor
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- disgraceLoss of honor
- scandalDisgraceful public affair
- improprietyUnsuitable or inappropriate behavior
indecency · obscenity · vulgarity · profanity · inappropriate · unacceptable · shocking · offensive
Not allowed
- bannedOfficially disallowed
- prohibitedOfficially not permitted
- off-limitsProhibited from access
- restrictedLimited in scope
censored · outlawed · barred · proscribed · interdicted · verboten · unmentionable · unspeakable
Ceremonial set of actions
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- uncleanSoiled or contaminated
- impureNot wholly clean
- totemSpiritual clan symbol
mana · pollution · tribe · indigenous · Polynesian · ceremonial · spiritual · ancestral
Clearly and directly expressed
- eroticSexually stimulating
- risqueBordering on improper
- suggestiveHinting at impropriety
- intimateClosely personal or private
lewd · provocative · titillating · sensual · carnal · flesh · desire · lust
stigma
Mark of dishonor
impropriety · indecency · obscenity · vulgarity · profanity · inappropriate · unacceptable · shocking · offensive · crude
forbidden
Not allowed
- bannedOfficially disallowed
- prohibitedOfficially not permitted
- off-limitsProhibited from access
restricted · censored · outlawed · barred · proscribed · interdicted · verboten · unmentionable · unspeakable · sacrilege
ritual
Ceremonial set of actions
totem · mana · pollution · tribe · indigenous · Polynesian · ceremonial · spiritual · ancestral · chief
explicit
Clearly and directly expressed
- eroticSexually stimulating
- risqueBordering on improper
- suggestiveHinting at impropriety
intimate · lewd · provocative · titillating · sensual · carnal · flesh · desire · lust · fetish
unspoken
Not verbally expressed
touchy · delicate · controversial · divisive · politics · religion · money · salary · death · illness
Hasbro
American toy conglomerate
timer · teammates · party · charades · Pictionary · password · hint · describe · round · score
- party gamescharades, musical statues, musical chairs, truth or dare, spin the bottle
- tabletop gamesboard games, board game, card games, card game, backgammon
- word gamescrossword, Scrabble, crossword puzzle, anagram, word game
- Black Eyed PeasFergie, I Gotta Feeling
- Black Eyed Peas membersFergie
- timed gamesblitz chess, rapid chess, speed chess, chess clock, time trials
Tabooacceptable
Meeting minimum standards
permitted · allowed · sanctioned · approved · encouraged
Taboospeakable
Able to be said
mentionable · discussable · utterable · sayable · fair game
Taboosacred
Worthy of reverence
blessed · holy · sanctified · consecrated · prescribed
- sexual taboosForbidden intimate practices
- cultural tabooForbidden practice within society
- taboo subjectTopic considered inappropriate to discuss
- taboo wordsCulturally prohibited expressions
- taboo languageCulturally prohibited expressions
- food taboosCulturally forbidden consumables