tabu
Sacred social restriction
Tabu is an alternative spelling of taboo—something forbidden by social custom, religion, or strong convention.
The spelling reflects the word's Polynesian origin more directly, though taboo has become the dominant form in English.
Both spellings function as noun, adjective, and verb: Death was a tabu subject in her family.
Officially not permitted
- banOfficial restriction on something
- off-limitsProhibited from access
- verbotenProhibited by authority
- forbiddenNot allowed
outlawed · illicit · no-no · interdicted · proscribed · barred · restricted · censored
Ceremonial set of actions
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- customHabitual group practice
- anthropologyStudy of human cultures
- ethnographySystematic study of peoples
totem · mana · Polynesian · indigenous · tribal · clan · ancestry · folklore
Dedicated to the divine
- sanctityQuality of being inviolable
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- divineOf or from gods
- consecratedDeclared sacred through ritual
sacrosanct · inviolable · profane · desecration · defilement · impurity · pollution · unclean
Mark of dishonor
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- disgraceLoss of honor
- ostracismBanishment from a group
- shunnedPersistently avoided socially
outcast · pariah · exclusion · marginalized · unacceptable · improper · indecent · indelicate
Marked-surface group entertainment
- strategyPlanned approach to goals
- Parker BrothersHistoric game publishing company
- tilesFlat covering pieces
- wordsUnits of language
spelling · vocabulary · letters · players · competitive · family game · word game
prohibited
Officially not permitted
- banOfficial restriction on something
- off-limitsProhibited from access
- verbotenProhibited by authority
forbidden · outlawed · illicit · no-no · interdicted · proscribed · barred · restricted · censored · disallowed
ritual
Ceremonial set of actions
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- customHabitual group practice
- anthropologyStudy of human cultures
ethnography · totem · mana · Polynesian · indigenous · tribal · clan · ancestry · folklore · heritage
holy
Dedicated to the divine
consecrated · sacrosanct · inviolable · profane · desecration · defilement · impurity · pollution · unclean · reverence
stigma
Mark of dishonor
shunned · outcast · pariah · exclusion · marginalized · unacceptable · improper · indecent · indelicate · embarrassing
board game
Marked-surface group entertainment
- strategyPlanned approach to goals
- Parker BrothersHistoric game publishing company
- tilesFlat covering pieces
words · spelling · vocabulary · letters · players · competitive · family game · word game
tabupermissible
Sanctioned by authority
allowable · permitted · acceptable · sanctioned · approved
tabuprofane
Irreverent toward the sacred
secular · mundane · ordinary · common · unconsecrated
tabuspeakable
Able to be said
mentionable · discussable · fair game · sayable · on the table