taboo
tuh-BOO
/təˈbuː/
A social or religious custom prohibiting or forbidding discussion of or association with a particular person, place, or thing.
Carries psychological and spiritual weight; violating a taboo is believed to bring social dishonor or spiritual calamity.
The story behind the word. Brought into English by Captain James Cook in 1777 after visiting Tonga, where 'tapu' described sacred rules or forbidden things set apart by divine authority.
Word relationships
- prohibition: Prohibition emphasizes legal or formal bans, whereas taboo stresses deep social or sacred prohibition.
- ban: A ban is usually enacted by authorities, while a taboo emerges from cultural or spiritual beliefs.
- permissible: Permissible indicates something that is allowed without social or spiritual penalty.
- sanctioned: Sanctioned means officially approved or encouraged.
Commonly confused with
- tattoo: Tattoo is body art, whereas taboo is a sacred prohibition.
Word family
- tabooed (adjective): Made subject to a taboo.
Collocations
- cultural taboo
- strictly taboo
- break a taboo
- taboo topic
Example sentences
- "In many traditional island cultures, touching the chief's personal possessions was strictly taboo." Social anthropology
- "Discussing personal salaries remains a subtle cultural taboo in many corporate workplaces." Modern sociology
Memory hook
TABOO = TAB-U (put a tab on you—do NOT touch or do it). Sacredly forbidden.
When not to use
Do not confuse a simple legal rule or mild preference with a true taboo, which evokes strong cultural prohibition.
Fun facts
- Captain Cook was one of the first Europeans to record the word 'taboo' after observing social rules in Polynesia.
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