Taboo
/təˈbuː/noun
A social or cultural prohibition against certain practices or discussions.
Did you know?The term 'taboo' originates from Polynesian culture, where it denotes sacredness and restriction, often linked to spiritual beliefs and rituals.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
PPN
*tabu
“sacred, prohibited, restricted.”
18th Century
Tongan
tapu
“sacred, restricted, forbidden.”
18th Century
English
taboo
“a prohibition against certain practices or discussions, adopted from Polynesian languages.”
19th Century
English
taboo
“widely recognized as a term describing social or cultural prohibitions.”