taboo

1 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly tabu

plural taboos also tabus

1

a

: a prohibition imposed by social custom or as a protective measure

… they may have developed a taboo against eating fish.

—Jared Diamond

b

: something that is not acceptable to say, mention, or do : something that is taboo

… the tacticians in a conservative Republican Administration now deem membership in the club a taboo.

—Peter J. Boyer

2

: a prohibition against touching, saying, or doing something for fear of immediate harm from a supernatural force

3

: belief in taboos

taboo

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly tabu

tabooed also tabued; tabooing also tabuing; taboos also tabus

transitive verb

1

: to set apart as taboo especially by marking with a ritualistic symbol

2

: to avoid or ban as taboo

Examples of taboo in a Sentence

Noun

religious taboos against drinking alcohol

Marrying a close relative is a taboo in many cultures.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

At the time, the diagnosis was much more taboo, discussed only with hushed, fearful voices. —Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026

Communication remains a major hurdle, particularly in Asia, where discussions around inheritance and wealth transfer are often considered taboo. —Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 29 May 2026

Verb

While usually taboo for anyone but the bride to wear white, the choice seemed intentionally made by Venus, 45, who also had their two other sisters, Lyndrea Price and Isha Price, niece Justus, and mom Oracene dressed in white. —Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 24 Dec. 2025

Basically, Pluto rules taboo topics that lie under the surface and that are hard to talk about. —Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 27 Apr. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for taboo

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou

Kids Definition

taboo

1 of 2 adjective

ta·​boo

variants also tabu

tə-ˈbü 

ta-

: prohibited by a taboo

taboo

2 of 2 noun

variants also tabu

plural taboos also tabus

1

: a prohibition against touching, saying, or doing something for fear of immediate harm by a superhuman force

2

: a prohibition established by social custom

Etymology

Adjective

from tabu, a word in a language of the people of a South Sea island, meaning "taboo"

Medical Definition

taboo

1 of 2 noun

ta·​boo

variants also tabu

tə-ˈbü, ta- 

plural taboos also tabus

1

: a prohibition in some cultures against touching, saying, or doing something for fear of immediate harm from a mysterious superhuman force

2

: a prohibition imposed by social custom or as a protective measure

the view that incest, not cannibalism, was the world's first taboo

—Phyllis Grosskurth

3

: belief in taboos

taboo adjective

also tabu

taboo

2 of 2 transitive verb

variants also tabu

: to avoid or ban as taboo