adj. 1 offensively or repulsively indecent, esp. by offending accepted sexual morality. 2 colloq. highly offensive or repugnant (an obscene accumulation of wealth). 3 Brit. Law (of a publication) tending to deprave or corrupt. obscenely adv. obsceneness n.
[ F obscène or L obsc(a)enus ill-omened, abominable ]