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.
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. —
II Transf.
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.—
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.—
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.