pornography

pornography — noun

1. writing, pictures, videos, or online content made mainly to create sexual intere

1.nounC1
Definition

writing, pictures, videos, or online content made mainly to create sexual interest, rather than for art or information.

Example

The school blocked pornography on library computers last month.

block pornography on + device

Parents worried about children's exposure to pornography online.

exposure to pornography

Common collocations
  • online pornography
  • access to pornography
  • ban pornography
  • watch pornography
  • sell pornography
Synonyms
  • porn

    informal short form used more in everyday speech

  • adult material

    broader and softer, common in warnings, rules, and policy language

  • erotica

    can suggest artistic or literary intention, so it is not always the same

  • obscenity

    more legal or moral in tone and can include other offensive material

Grammar Patterns

watch pornography

access to pornography

ban pornography

online pornography

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. Common in legal, media, and policy contexts; everyday informal speech often uses porn instead. It often appears with words about access, bans, and online distribution.

Common Mistakes

The police found many pornographies on the website.
The police found a lot of pornography on the website.
Pornography is usually uncountable.

Word family

  • pornographic
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Pornography is the standard full word in news, law, education, and policy writing. Porn is the everyday informal short form, so it sounds more casual and direct. Adult material is softer and broader, and it is often used in warnings, store policies, or website settings. Erotica can overlap, but it more often suggests artistic, literary, or stylish treatment, so it is not always judged as pornography. Obscenity is different again: it is a legal or moral word for material considered offensive or not acceptable. Say The report examined online pornography among teens. Say The app blocks adult material by default.

pornography ↗porn ↗adult materialerotica ↗obscenity

Etymology

GreekModern LatinFrenchEnglish

Pornography came into English through French and modern Latin forms built from older Greek words meaning a prostitute and writing or description. Over time, the word came to refer to material made chiefly to arouse sexual interest.