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Definition of profane - 5 dictionary results

pro⋅fane

  [pruh-feyn, proh-] adjective, verb, -faned, -fan⋅ing.
Use profane in a Sentence
–adjective
1. characterized by irreverence or contempt for God or sacred principles or things; irreligious.
2. not devoted to holy or religious purposes; unconsecrated; secular (opposed to sacred ).
3. unholy; heathen; pagan: profane rites.
4. not initiated into religious rites or mysteries, as persons.
5. common or vulgar.
–verb (used with object)
6. to misuse (anything that should be held in reverence or respect); defile; debase; employ basely or unworthily.
7. to treat (anything sacred) with irreverence or contempt; violate the sanctity of: to profane a shrine.
Origin:
1350–1400; (adj.) < L profānus lit., before (outside of) the temple; r. ME prophane < ML prophānus desecrated (see pro- 1 , fane ); (v.) < L profānāre, deriv. of profānus; r. ME prophanen < ML prophānāre to desecrate

Related forms:
pro⋅fane⋅ly, adverb
pro⋅fane⋅ness, noun
pro⋅fan⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. blasphemous, sacrilegious, impious, ungodly. 2. temporal. 3. unhallowed. 5. low, mean, base. 7. desecrate.

Antonyms:
1. sacred. 2. spiritual. 3. holy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pro·fane   (prō-fān', prə-)   
adj.  
  1. Marked by contempt or irreverence for what is sacred.
  2. Nonreligious in subject matter, form, or use; secular: sacred and profane music.
  3. Not admitted into a body of secret knowledge or ritual; uninitiated.
  4. Vulgar; coarse.
tr.v.   pro·faned, pro·fan·ing, pro·fanes
  1. To treat with irreverence: profane the name of God.
  2. To put to an improper, unworthy, or degrading use; abuse.

[Middle English prophane, from Old French, from Latin profānus, from prō fānō, in front of the temple : prō-, before, outside; see pro-1 + fānō, ablative of fānum, temple; see dhēs- in Indo-European roots.]
pro·fan'a·to'ry (prō-fān'ə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē, prə-) adj., pro·fane'ly adv., pro·fan'er n.
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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Profane

Pro*fane"\, a. [F., fr. L. profanus, properly, before the temple, i. e., without the temple, unholy; pro before + fanum temple. See 1st Fane.]

1. Not sacred or holy; not possessing peculiar sanctity; unconsecrated; hence, relating to matters other than sacred; secular; -- opposed to sacred, religious, or inspired; as, a profane place. "Profane authors." --I. Disraeli.

The profane wreath was suspended before the shrine. --Gibbon.

2. Unclean; impure; polluted; unholy.

Nothing is profane that serveth to holy things. --Sir W. Raleigh.

3. Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or undue familiarity; irreverent; impious. Hence, specifically; Irreverent in language; taking the name of God in vain; given to swearing; blasphemous; as, a profane person, word, oath, or tongue. --1 Tim. i. 9.

Syn: Secular; temporal; worldly; unsanctified; unhallowed; unholy; irreligious; irreverent; ungodly; wicked; godless; impious. See Impious.

Profane

Pro*fane"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Profaned; p. pr. & vb. n. Profaning.] [L. profanare: cf. F. profaner. See Profane, a.]

1. To violate, as anything sacred; to treat with abuse, irreverence, obloquy, or contempt; to desecrate; to pollute; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the Scriptures, or the ordinance of God.

The priests in the temple profane the sabbath. --Matt. xii. 5.

2. To put to a wrong or unworthy use; to make a base employment of; to debase; to abuse; to defile.

So idly to profane the precious time. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : profane
Spanish: lego, no profesional,
German: laienhaft,
Japanese: しろうとの
More Translations »

profane  (v.)
1382, from L. profanare "to desecrate," from profanus "unholy, not consecrated," from pro fano "not admitted into the temple (with the initiates)," lit. "out in front of the temple," from pro- "before" + fano, abl. of fanum "temple." The adj. is attested from 1483; originally "un-ecclesiastical, secular;" sense of "unholy, polluted" is recorded from c.1500. Profanity is 1607, from L.L. profanitas, from L. profanus. Extended sense of "foul language" is from Old Testament commandment against "profaning" the name of the Lord.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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