pornography
USpor-NOG-ruh-fee/pɔɹˈnɑ.ɡɹə.fi/UKpaw-NOG-ruh-fee/pɔːˈnɒɡ.ɹə.fi/
- 1Writing, pictures, films, or other material that shows sex or sexual organs explicitly, made in order to arouse people sexually.
The new law makes it a crime to show pornography to minors.
Researchers surveyed teenagers about how often they come across pornography online.
Similarporn
- 2A lingering, indulgent, or gratuitous display of a non-sexual subject, such as food, wealth, or suffering, meant to excite strong feelings.
The cooking show's endless slow-motion shots of melting cheese struck some reviewers as shameless food pornography.
Cable news turned the storm into weather pornography, replaying the same flooded street every ten minutes.
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of pornography apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origin
From French pornographie, from Ancient Greek pornográphos, 'one who writes about prostitutes', from pórnē, 'prostitute', + -graphos, 'writer, painter'.
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 6 facts
- English pornography was borrowed from French pornographie. en.wiktionary.org
- French pornographie derives from Ancient Greek pornográphos. en.wiktionary.org
- Ancient Greek pornográphos means someone who writes about prostitutes. en.wikipedia.org
- Pornográphos is formed from pórnē and -graphos. en.wiktionary.org
- Ancient Greek pórnē means prostitute. en.wiktionary.org
- Ancient Greek -graphos means writer or painter. en.wiktionary.org