noun
sacrilege
SAK-rih-lihj
noun
1
A disrespectful or destructive act against something considered sacred.
"Painting graffiti on the ancient shrine was seen as an act of sacrilege."
"Some fans consider changing the recipe pure sacrilege."
How to Use Sacrilege
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTreating something sacred or deeply valued with disrespect.
Common pairings
commit sacrilege
utter sacrilege
Word Forms
sacrileges plural
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Painting graffiti on the ancient shrine was seen as an act of _____.
Etymology
From Old French sacrilege, from Latin sacrilegium — originally referring to stealing sacred objects.