Standard Lemma guide

profanation

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /pɹɒfəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P R AO2 F AH0 N EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of profaning; desecration, blasphemous behaviour, defilement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blasphemy, sacrilege, perversion, abasement, adulteration, corruption, debasement, debauchment, defilement, depravation, depravement, impurification, pollution, profanation, desecration

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

degradation of something worthy of respect; cheapening

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: degradation, debasement

3

noun

Meaning 3

blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • desecration of the Holy Sabbath

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: desecration, blasphemy, sacrilege

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: irreverence, violation

History

Etymology

From Middle French prophanation, profanation, and its source, Late Latin profanatio, from the participle stem of Latin profānō.