English → Latin
“profane” in Latin
profānōto offer (in front of a temple, shrine, etc.); to desecrate, profane; to violate, polluteexaugurōto deconsecrate; to profane, to desecratepolluōto soil, defile, pollute, stain, foul; to contaminate, violate, dishonor, desecrate, pollute, defilemaculōto stain, make spotted; to defile, pollute; to dishonorviolōto treat with violence; to maltreat; to violate, defile, profane, rapetempluman open space for augural observation; open, clear, broad space; a space dedicated to a deity; place of divine worship; profānussecular, unconsecrated, profane; impious, wicked; ignorant, unlearned
The English word profane itself goes back to Latin prō, through profānō.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
profane v.
profanare, profanum dicere (in the best age only = to confound divine things with human, sacred with common; opposed to sacrum esse velle: in later writers = general term to violate): exaugurare (to recal a thing from sacred to common use; opposed to inaugurare; Vid: Liv., 1, 55): polluere: maculare (to dishonor what is sacred or pure): violare (general term for any breach of what is due to anything, templa).
profane adj.
profanus. A profane person, homo profanus (general term): homo impius (godless): profane history, *historia rerum a populis gestarum; but perhaps profana historia necessary as technical term; opposed to sacra historia.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for profane?
- The usual Latin words for “profane” are profānō, exaugurō, polluō; also maculō, violō, templum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.