English▸ noun
(plural taboos)
a social or religious custom prohibiting or forbidding discussion of a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place, or thing: many taboos have developed around physical exposure
the use of violence must remain a taboo in our society
[mass noun] Freud applies his notion of taboo in three ways.
▪ a social practice that is prohibited or restricted:
speaking about sex is a taboo in his country.
▸ adjective prohibited or restricted by social custom:
sex was a taboo subject.
▪ designated as sacred and prohibited:
the burial ground was seen as a taboo place.
▸ verb [with object] place under prohibition:
traditional societies taboo female handling of food during this period.
– ORIGIN late 18th century : from Tongan tabu ‘set apart, forbidden’; introduced into English by Captain Cook.