pornography

[pawr-nog-ruh-fee]

noun

1. sexually explicit videos, photographs, writings, or the like, whose purpose is to elicit sexual arousal.

pornography

/ pɔːˈnɒɡrəfɪ, ˌpɔːnəˈɡræfɪk /

noun

1. writings, pictures, films, etc, designed to stimulate sexual excitement

2. the production of such material

pornography

1. Books, photographs, magazines, art, or music designed to excite sexual impulses and considered by public authorities or public opinion as in violation of accepted standards of sexual morality. American courts have not yet settled on a satisfactory definition of what constitutes pornographic material. (See obscenity.)

Other Word Forms

• pornographer noun
• pornographic adjective
• pornographically adverb
• antipornographic adjective
• antipornography noun
• nonpornographic adjective
• unpornographic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pornography¹

1840–50; < Greek pornográph ( os ) writing about harlots ( porno-, combining form of pórnē harlot + -graphos -graph ) + -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of pornography¹

C19: from Greek pornographos writing of harlots, from pornē a harlot + graphein to write

Example Sentences

However, the "level of harm" in three videos of body mutilation which were the subject of the pornography charges, was "exceptionally high", he said.

From BBC

The duties include preventing young people from seeing material such as pornography and harmful content relating to suicide.

From BBC

Baulcomb listened impassively as he was sentenced to two and a half years for GBH and a further six months for possession of child pornography.

From BBC

A spokesperson for Telegram said that "illegal pornography is explicitly forbidden" and "removed when discovered".

From BBC

He said he used the phones to speak with his wife, watch YouTube videos and pornography.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• smut