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obscenity

 - 4 dictionary results

ob⋅scen⋅i⋅ty

  [uhb-sen-i-tee, -see-ni-]
Use obscenity in a Sentence
–noun, plural -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, esp. when used as an invective.
Origin:
1600–10; < F obscenité < L obscēnitās, equiv. to obscēn(us) obscene + -itās -ity
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ob·scen·i·ty   (ŏb-sěn'ĭ-tē, əb-)   
n.   pl. ob·scen·i·ties

  1. The state or quality of being obscene.

  2. Indecency, lewdness, or offensiveness in behavior, expression, or appearance.

  3. Something, such as a word, act, or expression, that is indecent or lewd.

  4. Something that is offensive or repulsive to the senses: "What had once been a gentle hill covered with lush grass turned into a brown obscenity of bare earth and smoke" (Tom Clancy).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

obscenity

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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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: ob·scen·i·ty
Pronunciation: äb-'se-n&-tE
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ties
1 : the quality or state of being obscene
2 : something (as an utterance or act) that is obscene; also : obscene material
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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