vulgarism
Lowbrow speech element
A vulgarism is a coarse or crude expression—language considered improper or in poor taste: The essay was peppered with vulgarisms.
The term distinguishes rough speech from refined usage, marking words or phrases as belonging to lower registers.
In linguistics, it can also mean a nonstandard grammatical form characteristic of uneducated speech.
Taboo spoken obscenity
- curseInvoked harm through words
- expletiveProfane emotional utterance
- obscenityIndecent word or act
- cussSpeak profanely
oath · imprecation · malediction · invective · blasphemy · profanation · sacrilege · execration
Not allowed
- unmentionableToo shameful to discuss
- unspeakableBeyond verbal expression
- transgressionViolation of law or code
- indecencyOffensive or vulgar behavior
impropriety · obscenity · censorship · propriety · decency · stigma · tabooed · offensive
Rough or vulgar quality
- lewdnessCrude sexual indecency
- bawdinessIndecent or vulgar quality
- ribaldryVulgar or indecent humor
- raunchinessCrude sexual vulgarity
smuttiness · earthiness · indecorum · grossness · crudity · tastelessness · indelicacy · uncouthness
Casual conversational expression
- vernacularEveryday regional speech
- argotGroup-specific coded speech
- cantSanctimonious insincerity
- jargonSpecialized professional vocabulary
lingo · patois · dialect · nonstandard · substandard · demotic
Grammatical or social blunder
- barbarismSavage, uncivilized behavior
- colloquialismCasual conversational expression
- deviationDeparture from expected path
- variantDiffering form of something
swearword
Taboo spoken obscenity
cuss · oath · imprecation · malediction · invective · blasphemy · profanation · sacrilege · execration · vituperation
forbidden
Not allowed
- unmentionableToo shameful to discuss
- unspeakableBeyond verbal expression
- transgressionViolation of law or code
indecency · impropriety · obscenity · censorship · propriety · decency · stigma · tabooed · offensive · scandalous
coarseness
Rough or vulgar quality
raunchiness · smuttiness · earthiness · indecorum · grossness · crudity · tastelessness · indelicacy · uncouthness · boorishness
colloquialism
Casual conversational expression
- vernacularEveryday regional speech
- argotGroup-specific coded speech
- cantSanctimonious insincerity
jargon · lingo · patois · dialect · nonstandard · substandard · demotic
solecism
Grammatical or social blunder
- barbarismSavage, uncivilized behavior
- colloquialismCasual conversational expression
- deviationDeparture from expected path
vulgarismrefinement
Elegance of manner
eloquence · elegance · gentility · elevated language · euphemism
vulgarismpoliteness
Courteous, respectful conduct
propriety · decorum · civility · respectability · delicacy
vulgarity, vulgarian, vulgarize, vulgarisms, vulgarized, vulgarians, vulgarization, vulgarizes