Tabu Word Meaning

late 18th century: from Tongan tabu ‘set apart, forbidden’; introduced into English by Captain James Cook

a social or religious custom prohibiting or restricting a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place, or thing

social or religious custom prohibiting or restricting particular practice

• many taboos have developed around physical exposure
• the use of violence must remain a taboo in our society
• Freud applies his notion of taboo in three ways

• tabu

prohibited or restricted by social custom

prohibited or restricted by social custom

• sex was a taboo subject

• tabu

place under a taboo

place under taboo

• traditional societies taboo female handling of food during this period

• tabu