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Webster 1913 Edition

Profane

Pro-fane′

,
Adj.
[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
.

Pro-fane′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Profaned
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Profaning
.]
[L.
profanare
: cf. F.
profaner
. See
Profane
,
Adj.
]
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.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Profane

PROFA'NE

,
Adj.
[L. profanus; pro and fanum, a temple.]
1.
Irreverent to any thing sacred; applied to persons. A man is profane when he takes the name of God in vain, or treats sacred things with abuse and irreverence.
2.
Irreverent; proceeding from a contempt of sacred things, or implying it; as profane words or language; profane swearing.
3.
Not sacred; secular; relating to secular things; as profane history.
4.
Polluted; not pure.
Nothing is profane that serveth to holy things.
5.
Not purified or holy; allowed for common use; as a profane place. Ezek.42. and 48.
6.
Obscene; heathenish; tending to bring reproach on religion; as profane fables. 1 Tim.4.
Profane is used chiefly in Scripture in opposition to holy, or qualified ceremonially for sacred services.

PROFA'NE

,
Verb.
T.
To violate any thing sacred, or treat it with abuse,irreverence, obloquy or contempt; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the sabbath; to profane the Scriptures or the ordinances of God.
1.
To pollute; to defile; to apply to temporal uses; to use as base or common. Ezek.24.
2.
To violate. Mal.2.
3.
To pollute; to debase.Lev.21.
4.
To put to a wrong use.

Definition 2024

profane

profane

See also: profané

English

Adjective

profane ‎(comparative profaner or more profane, superlative profanest or most profane)

  1. Unclean; ritually impure; unholy, desecrating a holy place or thing.
    • Sir Walter Raleigh
      Nothing is profane that serveth to holy things.
  2. Not sacred or holy, unconsecrated; relating to non-religious matters, secular.
    • I. Disraeli
      profane authors
    • Gibbon
      The profane wreath was suspended before the shrine.
  3. Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or undue familiarity; blasphemous, 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.
    a profane person, word, oath, or tongue
    • Bible, 1 Timothy 1:9
      […] the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane […]

Synonyms

Antonyms

Translations

Noun

profane ‎(plural profanes)

  1. A person or thing that is profane.
    • 1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society 1985, p. 244:
      The nuns were employed in religious duties established in honour of St Clare, and to which no profane was ever admitted.
  2. (freemasonry) A person not a Mason.

Verb

profane ‎(third-person singular simple present profanes, present participle profaning, simple past and past participle profaned)

  1. (transitive) 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.
    • 1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick, chapter 34
      With one mind, their intent eyes all fastened upon the old man’s knife, as he carved the chief dish before him. I do not suppose that for the world they would have profaned that moment with the slightest observation, even upon so neutral a topic as the weather.
  2. (transitive) To put to a wrong or unworthy use; to make a base employment of; to debase; to abuse; to defile.

Antonyms

Translations

Related terms

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pʁɔ.fan/

Adjective

profane m, f ‎(plural profanes)

  1. secular; lay
  2. profane

Related terms

Italian

Adjective

profane f pl

  1. feminine plural of profano

Noun

profane f

  1. plural of profana

Latin

Adjective

profāne

  1. vocative masculine singular of profānus

References

Portuguese

Verb

profane

  1. first-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of profanar
  2. third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present subjunctive of profanar
  3. third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of profanar
  4. third-person singular (você) negative imperative of profanar

Spanish

Verb

profane

  1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of profanar.
  2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of profanar.
  3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of profanar.
  4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of profanar.

Etymology

From Middle French prophane, from Latin profānus ‎(“not religious, unclean”), from pro- ‎(“before”) + fānum ‎(“temple”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /pɹəˈfeɪn/
  • Rhymes: -eɪn

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