sacrilege
pronunciation
How to pronounce sacrilege in British English:
UK [ˈsækrəlɪdʒ]
How to pronounce sacrilege in American English:
US [ˈsækrəlɪdʒ]
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- Noun:
- blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character
Word Origin
- sacrilege (n.)
- c. 1300, "crime of stealing what is consecrated to God," from Old French sacrilege (12c.), from Latin sacrilegium "temple robbery, a stealing of sacred things," from sacrilegus "stealer of sacred things," noun use of adjective, from phrase sacrum legere "to steal sacred things," from sacrum "sacred object" (from neuter singular of sacer "sacred;" see sacred) + legere "take, pick up" (see lecture (n.)). Second element is not from religion. Transferred sense of "profanation of anything held sacred" is attested from late 14c.
Example
- 1. It sounds like sacrilege , but we sold them .
- 2. The idea of genes influencing cultural behaviour is sacrilege .
- 3. What are you doing ? That is sacrilege !
- 4. That 's a sacrilege I 'll tolerate .
- 5. Based in the city of maiduguri , the extremists calling themselves boko haram , or " western ways are sacrilege " , have risen to prominence in the past two years .