ob·scen·i·ty

[uhb-sen-i-tee, -see-ni-]
noun, plural ob·scen·i·ties for 2, 3.
1.
the character or quality of being obscene; indecency; lewdness.
2.
something obscene, as a picture or story.
3.
an obscene word or expression, especially when used as an invective.

Origin:
1600–10; < French obscenité < Latin obscēnitās, equivalent to obscēn(us) obscene + -itās -ity

an·ti·ob·scen·i·ty, noun, plural an·ti·ob·scen·i·ties, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To obscenity
00:10
Obscenity is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
Collins
World English Dictionary
obscenity (əbˈsɛnɪtɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl -ties
1.  the state or quality of being obscene
2.  an obscene act, statement, word, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

obscenity
c.1600, "obscene quality," from L. obscenitas, from obscenus (see obscene). Meaning "a foul or loathsome act" is 1610s. Sense of "an obscene utterance or word" is attested by 1690. Related: Obscenities.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

obscenity definition


Behavior, appearance, or expression (such as films and books) that violate accepted standards of sexual morality. American courts have long tried to define obscenity but without much success. Some believe, for example, that any depiction of nudity is obscene; others would argue that nudity in itself is not obscene. (See four-letter words and pornography.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Example sentences
It's as if success is a corollary of obscenity: you know it when you see it.
Obscenity is the final layer to peel away when discussing protected speech.
One may also argue-less persuasively, in my view-against protecting certain
  forms of public obscenity and defamatory statements.
It really is the best way to remember the obscenity of war and to honor the
  dead.
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