taboo
noun /təˈbuː/
/təˈbuː/
(plural taboos)
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- taboo (against/on something) a cultural or religious custom that does not allow people to do, use or talk about a particular thing as people find it offensive or embarrassing
- an incest taboo
- a taboo on working on a Sunday
- to break/violate a taboo
- Death is one of the great taboos in our culture.
Extra Examples- The play violates several taboos on sexuality.
- his failure to observe the tribe's rigid taboos
- taboos surrounding menstruation
- the problem of breaking down deep-seated cultural taboos
- the taboo about religion in British society
- the taboo against marrying a foreigner
- They broke cultural taboos against women attending such meetings.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- powerful
- cultural
- religious
- …
verb + tabootaboo + nounpreposition- taboo about
- taboo against
- taboo on
- …
See full entry - taboo (against/on something) a general agreement not to do something or talk about something
- The subject is still a taboo in our family.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- powerful
- cultural
- religious
- …
verb + tabootaboo + nounpreposition- taboo about
- taboo against
- taboo on
- …
See full entry Word Originlate 18th cent.: from Tongan tabu ‘set apart, forbidden’; introduced into English by Captain Cook.