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Sacrilege: meaning, definitions and examples

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sacrilege

 

[ ˈsakrɪlɪdʒ ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

religious act

Violation or misuse of what is considered sacred or holy.

Synonyms

blasphemy, desecration, profanity

Examples of usage

  • Sacrilege is often considered a serious offense in many religions.
  • Committing sacrilege can lead to excommunication from the church.
Context #2 | Noun

general

An act of disrespect towards something regarded as sacred or inviolable.

Synonyms

defilement, insult, irreverence

Examples of usage

  • Some people view any criticism of their favorite sports team as sacrilege.
  • Disposing of a national flag improperly is seen as sacrilege in many countries.

Translations

Translations of the word "sacrilege" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sacrilegio

🇮🇳 पाप

🇩🇪 Sakrileg

🇮🇩 sacrilege

🇺🇦 сакрилегія

🇵🇱 sakrileż

🇯🇵 冒涜

🇫🇷 sacrilege

🇪🇸 sacrilegio

🇹🇷 kutsala hakaret

🇰🇷 신성모독

🇸🇦 تدنيس

🇨🇿 sacrilegium

🇸🇰 sacrilegium

🇨🇳 亵渎

🇸🇮 sacrilegij

🇮🇸 sacrilege

🇰🇿 құдайға тіл тигізу

🇬🇪 წმიდათა შელახვა

🇦🇿 müqəddəsliyi pozma

🇲🇽 sacrilegio

Etymology

The word sacrilege originated from the Latin word sacrilegium, which means 'theft of sacred things'. In the early Christian era, sacrilege was punishable by death. Over time, the meaning of sacrilege expanded to include any disrespectful or irreverent act towards something considered holy or sacred.

See also: sacrilegious.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #22,093, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.