taboo

English

/təˈbuː/

noun

Definitions

An inhibition or ban that results from social custom or emotional aversion.
(in Polynesia) Something which may not be used, approached or mentioned because it is sacred.

Etymology

Borrowed from Tongan (Tonga Islands) tapu (prohibited, sacred) derived from Proto-Polynesian *tapu derived from Proto-Oceanic *tabu derived from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *tambu.

Origin

Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian

*tambu

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms

nontaboo English
tabooer English
tabooless English
taboolessness English
tabooness English
Tabu German
Tabubruch German
Tabuthema German
tabu Hungarian
tabui Hungarian
tabuit Hungarian
tabuk Hungarian
tabum Hungarian
tabun Hungarian
tabut Hungarian
taboe Dutch, Flemish
taboewoord Dutch, Flemish
табу Russian
tabú Spanish, Castilian
タブー Japanese
tabu Polish
tabu Danish
tabu Serbo-Croatian
tabú Icelandic
tabu Slovak
tabu Lithuanian
jabwi Marshallese
tambu Tok Pisin
kapu Hawaiian
tapu Maori
*tapu Proto-Polynesian
*tabu Proto-Oceanic
tabu Fijian
*tambu Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian
tapu Rapa Nui
tapu Samoan
tapu Tongan (Tonga Islands)
*tambu Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian
tapu Tahitian