sacrilegious

the word 'sacrilegious' originates from the latin term 'sacrilegus', meaning 'one who steals sacred things'. this is a compound of 'sacer' (sacred) and 'legere' (to gather, take away). the literal sense was 'a stealer of sacred objects', a grave offense in ancient societies. over time, the meaning broadened from the specific act of theft to encompass any action showing profound disrespect or irreverence toward sacred persons, places, or things. the modern adjective 'sacrilegious' thus characterizes an attitude or deed that violates or profanes what is held to be holy.

Structure: sacri (sacred) + leg (take/gather) + ious (adjective suffix) sacri (from latin 'sacer', meaning sacred, holy); leg (from latin 'legere', meaning to gather, take, pick up); ious (latin adjectival suffix meaning 'full of, characterized by').