pornography

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: por=nog=ra=phy

CIDE DICTIONARY

pornography, n. [Gr. a harlot + -graphy.].

•  Licentious painting or literature; especially, the painting anciently employed to decorate the walls of rooms devoted to bacchanalian orgies.  [1913 Webster]
•  A treatise on prostitutes, or prostitution.  [1913 Webster]
•  obscene pictures, writings, drawings, motion pictures, videos, or the like intended primarily to cause sexual arousal and having little or no artistic merit; also, the content of such materials.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pornography, n.
1 the explicit description or exhibition of sexual activity in literature, films, etc., intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings.
2 literature etc. characterized by this.

Derivative

pornographer n. pornographic adj. pornographically adv.

Etymology

Gk pornographos writing of harlots f. porne prostitute + grapho write

THESAURUS

pornography

French literature, Rabelaisianism, Renaissance literature, X-rated movie, ancient literature, bawdiness, bawdry, belles lettres, blue movie, classics, contemporary literature, dirt, dirtiness, dirty movie, erotic art, erotic literature, erotica, erotographomania, fescenninity, filth, filthiness, folk literature, foulness, humane letters, iconolagny, kitsch, letters, lewdness, literature, medieval literature, nastiness, national literature, obscene literature, obscenity, offensiveness, polite literature, pop literature, popular literature, porn, pornographic art, pornographic literature, pornographomania, pseudonymous literature, republic of letters, ribaldry, salaciousness, salacity, scatological literature, scurrility, serious literature, sexploitation, skin flick, smut, smuttiness, soft-core pornography, stag film, travel literature, underground literature, vileness, wisdom literature

ROGET THESAURUS

pornography

Sexuality

N sex, sexuality, gender, male, masculinity, maleness, female, femininity, sexual intercourse, copulation, mating, coitus, sex, lovemaking, marital relations, sexual union, sleeping together, carnal knowledge, sex instinct, sex drive, libido, lust, concupiscence, hots, horns, arousal, heat, rut, estrus, oestrus, tumescence, erection, hard-on, boner, masturbation, self-gratification, autoeroticism, onanism, self- abuse, orgasm, climax, ejaculation, sexiness, attractiveness, sensuality, voluptuousness, fornication, adultery, sex symbol, sex goddess, stud, hunk, one-night stand, pornography, porn, porno, hardcore pornography, softcore pornography, pin-up, cheesecake, beefcake, Playboy, Esquire, Hustler, perversion, deviation, sexual abnormality, fetish, fetishism, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, sodomy, buggery, pederasty, sadism, masochism, sado-masochism, incest, sexy, erotic, sexual, carnal, sensual, hot, horny, randy, rutting, passionate, lusty, hot-blooded, libidinous, up, in the mood, homosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual.