Profane
Profan (formed in the 16th century from Latin profanus : "unsanctified, mean, nefarious", actually: "located in front of the sanctuary", from Latin fanum , "holy place" and pro - , "before-") denotes the quality of Objects or actions, not to be related to a cult , not to have any ritual or religious meaning, not to be holy (sacred). Profane objects are not assigned any magical properties or effects.
The profane is of a worldly, worldly nature; the sacred is the opposite term. In architecture, for example, a distinction is made between secular and sacred buildings according to their use .
In today's everyday language, profane is also used as a synonym for "everyday". The profane has no outstanding meaning and represents the simple normal case. Often profane is also used disparagingly as a synonym for vulgar , banal or trivial .
See also
- Profanation
- Wolfgang Voigt , founder of the Cologne techno label "Profan"
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kluge Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, 24th edition
- ↑ http://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/profan