From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishprofanepro‧fane1 /prəˈfeɪn/ adjective formal 1 SWEARshowing a lack of respect for God or holy things profane language2 RELIGION#related to ordinary life, not religion or holy things SYN secular OPP sacred sacred and profane art
Examples from the Corpus
profane• Nothing was divine any more; everything was profane.• Dear Sam, she read, shaking her head at the profane groveling, the threatening accusations...• Bates plays Kushnick with shrill, profane gusto, literally scorching the earth with her incendiary lungs.• College officials expressed concern over profane language used in the play.• Taylor was a loud, profane man.• Its not a time to be profane, Newland.• It is still an offence to use obscene, profane or indecent language in an Aberdeen street.• Part of this culture was a certain distinction between what made up the sacred and what made up the profane spheres.• Throughout his career, the profane would compete with the sacred when Alvin contemplated themes for ballets.profaneprofane2 verb [transitive] formalRUDE/IMPOLITE to treat something holy with a lack of respect→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
profane• The white faces of saints had grown insane and bloated, their purity profaned.• The exact manner in which the body of the Saint was profaned is unknown.• By healing the man is he keeping the Sabbath Holy or profaning it?• Sizzle and aroma do not profane the all-pervading stillness.• It profaned the very bonds of speech.Origin profane1 (1300-1400) Old French prophane, from Latin profanus, from fanum “temple” 