incest
UK[ˈɪnsɛst]US[ˈɪnsɛst]
n
Sexual intercourse between people who are too closely related to marry each other, as prohibited by law or custom.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
cest
in
not
cest
pure
Etymology
The word 'incest' originates from the Latin term 'incestus', which itself is a compound of the negative prefix 'in-' and the adjective 'castus' (meaning pure or chaste). Literally, it meant "unchaste" or "impure". This Latin term was used specifically to denote sexual relations considered impure due to their occurrence within the forbidden degrees of kinship. The concept and the term were adopted into Middle English from Old French, retaining the core notion of a violation of sexual purity laws within a family or clan.
Analysis
Structure: in (not) + cest (pure)
'in-' is a Latin prefix meaning "not". '-cest' is from the Latin root 'castus', meaning "pure, chaste".
Examples
The novel explores the dark themes of family secrets and incest.
Laws against incest exist in virtually every human society.
The psychological effects of incest on victims can be profound and long-lasting.