dirty word

UK/ˈdɜːtiˌwɜːd/US/ˈdɚɾijˌwɝd/

noun

A word that is considered vulgar, not necessarily sexual in nature.

“Job is a dirty word to him.”

Similar
cursecurse wordoathprofanityobscenitysmutvulgarismfilth
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Meanings

noundirty word (plural dirty words)

plural dirty words

  1. A word that is considered vulgar, not necessarily sexual in nature.

    The child was made to sit in the corner as punishment for saying a dirty word.

    1 more example

    Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths.

    2013 June 14, Sam Leith, “Where the profound meets the profane”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 37

    Synonyms: curse, curse word, oath, profanity

  2. idiomaticThe name of a topic that a person prefers not to hear or discuss.

    Job is a dirty word to him.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA word that is considered vulgar, not necessarily sexual in nature.

Similar
cursecurse wordoathprofanity

More synonyms by meaning

nounan offensive or indecent word or phrase

Similar
obscenitysmutvulgarismfilth
Broader
profanity
Also see
bad wordcursefilthobscenitysmutswearswearingswear wordvulgarism

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Finnish kirosana, ruma sana
  • kirosanaword that is considered vulgar
  • ruma sanaword that is considered vulgar
  • kirosanaa topic that a person does not like
French gros mot
  • gros motword that is considered vulgar
German Schimpfwort
  • Schimpfwortword that is considered vulgar
Polish brzydkie słowo
  • brzydkie słowoword that is considered vulgar
Portuguese palavrão
  • palavrãoword that is considered vulgar
Russian руга́тельное сло́во, руга́тельство
  • руга́тельное сло́во (rugátelʹnoje slóvo)word that is considered vulgar
  • руга́тельство (rugátelʹstvo)word that is considered vulgar
  • неприли́чное сло́во (neprilíčnoje slóvo)word that is considered vulgar
  • бра́нное сло́во (bránnoje slóvo)word that is considered vulgar
Swedish fult ord, runt ord
  • fult ordword that is considered vulgar
  • runt ordword that is considered vulgar
  • snuskigt ordword that is considered vulgar
  • icke rumsrent ordword that is considered vulgar
  • fult orda topic that a person does not like
Turkish kötü söz
  • kötü sözword that is considered vulgar
Cite this entry
APA

dirty word. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dirty%20word

MLA

“dirty word.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dirty%20word. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dirty word,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dirty%20word.

Source: dirty word on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.