profane
/prəˈfeɪn/
adjective
Origin
Latin
profanus — outside the temple, unconsecrated
Overview
Meaning Now
- Relating to or devoted to that which is not sacred or biblical; secular rather than religious.
- Showing disrespect or irreverence toward God or sacred things; blasphemous.
- Not initiated into religious rites or secret knowledge.
Literal older meaning
outside the temple
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
prophane
Earliest period
late 14th century
Journey
The term originally carried no negative connotation; it simply denoted things or people that existed 'outside' the consecrated area of a temple (fanum). Over time, the separation from the sacred was interpreted as a lack of respect, leading to the modern secondary meaning of blasphemy or vulgarity.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
profanus
“outside the temple, common, uninitiated”
From 'pro-' (before/outside) + 'fanum' (temple).
- Old French
profane
“secular, not sacred”
- 14th century English
prophane
“irreverent, secular”
Connections
Word parts
pro-
prefix
before or outside
fanum
root
temple, sacred place
Related across languages
French
layman, secular, profane
Italian
profano
secular, profane
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Related to profane
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.