Offensive, crude, or indecent language, images, or behavior; something considered deeply offensive or morally wrong.
From French 'obscénité,' derived from Latin 'obscaenus' meaning 'foul' or 'indecent.' The original sense was unclear but may relate to 'scena' (stage), implying something unsuitable for public display.
What's considered obscene changes radically by culture and era—words that shocked Victorians are used casually today, while some cultures consider perfectly normal things obscene! This shows how much morality and language are human creations rather than universal constants.
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