Correct spelling for the English word "sacrilege" is [sˈakɹɪlˌɪd͡ʒ], [sˈakɹɪlˌɪdʒ], [s_ˈa_k_ɹ_ɪ_l_ˌɪ_dʒ] (IPA phonetic alphabet).
Sacrilege is a noun that refers to a profound act of disrespect, blasphemy, or desecration towards something that is considered sacred or holy. It is the violation or misuse of sacred objects, places, rituals, beliefs, or traditions, often resulting in outrage, offense, or even condemnation from religious or devout individuals.
The word sacrilege originates from the Latin words "sacrilegus" and "sacer" meaning sacred and "legere" meaning to gather or steal. Together, they create the notion of stealing or profaning something sacred. Sacrilege can take various forms, such as mocking religious deities, defiling religious artifacts, engaging in sacrilegious acts within religious spaces, or deliberately desecrating sacred rituals or practices.
The concept of sacrilege is deeply rooted in religious and cultural beliefs, where individuals value certain objects, places, or practices as divinely significant or inviolable. Consequently, sacrilegious acts are perceived as a direct affront to people's deeply held spiritual convictions and often lead to strong emotional reactions.
It is important to note that the notion of sacrilege can be subjective and depends on individual perspectives and cultural contexts. What may be considered sacrilegious within one religious group might be accepted or even celebrated within another. Nonetheless, sacrilege generally refers to actions that intentionally disregard, profane, or mock the sacred, often violating societal codes of conduct and religious norms.
The profanation of anything, or any place, dedicated to the service of God; the crime of stealing sacred things, particularly out of churches.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word sacrilege has its roots in the Latin language. It is derived from the Latin word sacrilegium, which combines sacer (sacred) and legere (to steal or gather). So, the etymology of sacrilege suggests a meaning of stealing or appropriating something sacred.