Sacrilege

Pronunciation: /ˈsæk.rə.lɪdʒ/

Definitions of sacrilege

noun irreverent or disrespectful treatment of something considered sacred

Example Sentences

A1 Stealing from a church is considered sacrilege.

A2 Vandalizing a religious statue is seen as sacrilege by many.

B1 The desecration of a sacred site is seen as sacrilege in many cultures.

B2 The artist's controversial painting of a religious figure was deemed sacrilege by some.

C1 The act of burning holy books is seen as sacrilege by most religious communities.

C2 The destruction of ancient temples is considered sacrilege and a crime against humanity.

Examples of sacrilege in a Sentence

formal Committing sacrilege in a place of worship is considered a serious offense.

informal Some people believe that not recycling is a sacrilege against the environment.

slang Dude, skipping your grandma's birthday party would be a total sacrilege!

figurative To some, painting over a historic mural is seen as a sacrilege to the community's heritage.

Grammatical Forms of sacrilege

• plural: sacrileges
• comparative: more sacrilegious
• superlative: most sacrilegious
• present tense: sacrilege
• future tense: will sacrilege
• perfect tense: has sacrileged
• continuous tense: is sacrileging
• singular: sacrilege
• positive degree: sacrilegious
• infinitive: to sacrilege
• gerund: sacrileging
• participle: sacrilegious

Origin and Evolution of sacrilege

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'sacrilege' originated from the Latin word 'sacrilegium', which is a compound of 'sacer' meaning sacred and 'legere' meaning to steal. It originally referred to the act of stealing sacred objects or violating sacred places.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'sacrilege' expanded to include any disrespectful or irreverent treatment of sacred things or places, not just theft. The word has retained this broader meaning in modern usage.