What does porn mean?
Porn is an informal English noun for sexually explicit material intended to arouse its audience. It is most often used as a shortened form of “pornography” and can refer collectively to a category of written, visual, or audio material, as well as to a particular production. The word is direct and sometimes dismissive, so speakers may use alternatives such as “adult material” when discussing the subject more formally or discreetly. In legal, educational, or regulatory contexts, “pornography” is usually preferred because it distinguishes the category from other forms of erotic expression that may be explicit but not intended to arouse. Despite its informality, porn is now a familiar public term in discussions of media, internet access, advertising, censorship, and consumer protection. Its origins lie in the nineteenth-century word “pornography,” which was formed from Greek elements associated with sexual writing and was later shortened to the modern form.
nounSexual material that is intended to arouse its viewers or readers, especially explicit written, visual, or audio material. The term is commonly used as an informal abbreviation of “pornography.”
- Sexual material intended to arouse, especially explicit written, visual, or audio material.
- A work consisting of such material.
"The film was explicit adult porn and was not intended for children."
"He found the channel while browsing and quickly switched away from the porn."
"The publisher rejected the manuscript because its graphic porn was unsuitable for a general audience."
The plural is uncommon; “porn” is often treated as a collective or mass noun.
"The archive contained thousands of porn files."
Its blunt modern name preserves an ancient Greek combination associated with writing about prostitutes.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does porn come from?
The word derives from “pornography,” formed in the nineteenth century from Greek pornē, meaning “prostitute,” and graphein, meaning “to write.” This combination referred to writing about prostitutes and later broadened to denote sexually explicit literature or images. The shortened form “porn” developed in the twentieth century as the abbreviated term became established in speech.
Related word forms
How porn is actually used
Informal and commonly abbreviated or euphemistic in everyday speech. It may describe the medium collectively, as in “porn is easily accessed online,” or refer to a particular work. The age restrictions and legal treatment of sexually explicit material vary by jurisdiction.