Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

prŏfānē, adv., v. profanus fin.

prŏfānus, a, um, adj. [pro-fanum; prop. before the temple, i. e. outside of it; hence, opp. to the temple as a sacred object], unholy, not sacred, common, profane.

  1. I. Lit.: profanum quod non est sacrum, Plautus: Sacrum an profanum habeas parvi penditur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 228 Müll.; cf.: profanum est, quod fani religione non tenetur, Fest. p. 253 ib.: Trebatius profanum id proprie dici ait, quod ex religioso vel sacro in hominum usum proprietatem conversum est, Macr. S. 3, 3, 2: loci consecrati an profani, Cic. Part. 10, 36; opp. sacrum, Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 27 cum omnia illā victoriā suā profana fecisset, Cic. Verr 2, 4, 55, § 122: res profanae et usu pollutae, Tac. A. 13, 57: flamma, Ov. F. 6, 440: usus, Plin. 15, 30, 40, § 135.
    Of persons: procul o, procul este, profani, Conclamat vates, ye uninitiated, Verg A. 6, 258: Cereris ritus vulgare profanis, Ov A. A. 2, 601 profanum vulgus, Hor. C. 3, 1, 1: vulgus, Gell. N A. praef. fin.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Wicked, impious (poet.): mens profana, Ov M 2, 833: verba, id. Tr. 3, 5, 48: odia, Stat. Th. 1, 1: profanus Phorbas, Ov M. 11, 413 sit spes fallendi, miscebis sacra profanis, Hor Ep. 1, 16, 54.
      Subst. prŏfānum, i, n., wickedness, impiety (post-Aug.): civilium bellorum profano, Plin. 16, 4, 3, § 7.
    2. B. Unlearned, ignorant (post-class.); with gen.: litterarum profani (opp.: doctrina initiati), Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 18; Min. Fel. Oct. 5: qui profani sunt a sacramento veritatis, strangers to, Lact. 2, 15, 2: a veritate, id. 2, 16, 13; 7, 24, 10.
    3. C. Ill-boding (poet.): profanus bubo, Ov M 6, 431 avis, id. ib. 5, 543.
      Hence, adv.: prŏfānē, wickedly, profanely (post-class.); illudere, Lact. 6, 23, 10: de divinitate disputare, Min. Fel. Oct. 8.