Meaning
An inhibition or ban that results from social custom or emotional aversion.
Etymology
Origin: Unknown
Borrowed from Tongan tapu (“prohibited, sacred”), from Proto-Polynesian *tapu, from Proto-Oceanic *tabu, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *tambu. Doublet of kapu. First attested in c. 1777. The p in the Tongan source was misheard as b.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 17 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-07-29BADORTU
- 2026-04-08TANHBIO
- 2026-01-06TARBIOV
- 2025-12-21TOALCBK
- 2025-09-13BACNOTI
- 2025-01-16BYOLNAT
- 2025-01-13ATKCJOB
- 2025-01-01TOLBGNA
- 2024-11-29TABCKOU
- 2024-09-12BAOLHMT
- 2024-08-23BAPLEOT
- 2024-08-16TYARLBO
+5 earlier appearances in the archive.