cultural taboo
Unspoken group ban
A cultural taboo is a behavior, topic, or practice that a particular society or community considers forbidden, unacceptable, or deeply offensive.
Unlike laws, taboos are enforced through social pressure, shame, and disapproval rather than formal punishment.
What constitutes a taboo varies widely across cultures—discussing death openly, eating certain foods, or violating norms around sexuality may be taboo in one society but unremarkable in another.
Asking someone's salary is a cultural taboo in many Western countries.
- forbiddenNot allowed
- off limitsProhibited from access
- social normShared behavioral expectation
- unwritten ruleImplicit behavioral expectation
- shamePainful awareness of failure
unspoken · hush hush · transgression · stigma · disgrace · violation · sacred · ritual · purity · pollution · incest · mixed marriage · cannibalism · eating habits · profane · untouchable · offensive · scandal
cultural taboocultural norm
Accepted group behavior pattern
social custom · tradition · rite of passage · sacred duty · social convention
cultural taboosocial convention
Shared behavioral expectation
standard practice · common practice · social obligation · routine
cultural taboolaw
Binding principle or regulation
legal requirement · statute · written law · legal obligation · constitutional right
cultural, culture, cultures, cultured, culturing, culturally, multicultural, intercultural, subcultural