sacrilege
Meaning
The act of treating a holy thing or place without respect.
Gross disrespect or irreverence towards something considered sacred.
Structure
Usage
Many considered the vandalism of the ancient temple a terrible sacrilege.
To some, using the national flag for commercial advertising is a form of sacrilege.
The critic's harsh attack on the beloved classic novel was seen as literary sacrilege.
Etymology
The word 'sacrilege' has a direct and powerful lineage from Latin sacrilegium, which itself is a compound of sacer (sacred) and legere (to gather, to steal). The literal ancient meaning was "the theft of sacred objects," a grave crime in Roman society. Over time, the semantic scope broadened from the physical act of stealing holy items to encompass any form of disrespectful violation or profanation of what is deemed sacred. This evolution reflects a shift from a specific legal and religious transgression to a more abstract concept of profound irreverence, while retaining its core sense of a severe offense against sanctity.
Analysis
'sacri' originates from Latin sacer (sacred, holy). 'lege' originates from Latin legere (to gather, to pick, to take).