What does coprolalia mean?
Coprolalia is the involuntary, compulsive utterance of obscene, blasphemous, or socially taboo words or phrases. It is best known as a vocal tic associated with Tourette syndrome, though it can occur in other neurological conditions as well. Contrary to popular belief, only a minority of people with Tourette syndrome — often estimated at around ten percent — actually exhibit coprolalia, yet media portrayals have made it the condition's most famous symptom. The word derives from the Greek 'kopros', meaning dung, and 'lalia', meaning talk or speech, so it literally translates as 'dung-talk'. Crucially, coprolalia is not deliberate rudeness or poor manners: the speaker has no voluntary control over these outbursts, which is why understanding the term matters for reducing stigma. It appears mainly in medical, psychological, and journalistic writing, and its adjective form is 'coprolalic'.
nounThe involuntary, compulsive utterance of obscene or socially taboo words or phrases, occurring as a symptom of certain neurological conditions, most notably Tourette syndrome.
- The involuntary, uncontrollable utterance of obscene, blasphemous, or otherwise taboo words or phrases, classically as a vocal tic in Tourette syndrome.
"His coprolalia, a symptom of Tourette syndrome, was entirely beyond his conscious control."
"Roughly ten percent of people with Tourette syndrome experience coprolalia, despite popular stereotypes suggesting otherwise."
"Because her coprolalia was neurological rather than intentional, her colleagues learned to look past the outbursts and value her work."
Rarely pluralized; the word is almost always treated as an uncountable mass noun referring to the symptom in general.
"Clinicians have documented coprolalias arising from several distinct neurological conditions."
Only about one in ten people with Tourette syndrome actually has coprolalia — yet it's the symptom nearly everyone associates with the condition.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coprolalia
Coprolalia comes from the ancient Greek roots 'kopros' (dung, filth) and 'lalia' (talk, chatter). It was coined in the late nineteenth century in French medical literature — as 'coprolalie' — during early clinical descriptions of tic disorders, and entered English shortly thereafter. The same root 'kopros' appears in 'scatology' and 'coprolite' (fossilized dung), while '-lalia' recurs in 'echolalia' and 'glossolalia'.
Related word forms
How coprolalia is actually used
A clinical term used in neurology and psychiatry; it is formal rather than colloquial. Because coprolalia is involuntary, using the word to describe deliberate swearing is generally considered inaccurate and can be stigmatizing to those with tic disorders.
Easily confused with coprolalia
Coprophilia is a sexual attraction to feces, whereas coprolalia is the involuntary speaking of obscene words; both derive from Greek 'kopros' but describe entirely different phenomena.
Echolalia is the involuntary repetition of another person's words, while coprolalia is specifically the involuntary utterance of obscene language.