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Definition of "profane" []

  • Marked by contempt or irreverence for what is sacred. (adjective)
  • Nonreligious in subject matter, form, or use; secular: sacred and profane music. (adjective)
  • Not admitted into a body of secret knowledge or ritual; uninitiated. (adjective)
  • Vulgar; coarse. (adjective)
  • To treat with irreverence: profane the name of God. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "profane" in a sentence
  • "The word profane comes from the Latin profanus which literally means from the temple."
  • "So even that which we call profane, even that which we call diabolical is a different face of the same divine intelligence."
  • "An online video showed actor Christian Bale in profane rant against a crew member who had walked into a shot on a film set."