The spelling of the word "sacrilegious" can be confusing because it contains several silent letters. The word is pronounced /ˌsæk.rəˈlɪdʒ.əs/, with stress on the third syllable. The "sacri" part of the word comes from the Latin "sacer," which means "sacred." The "le" and "gious" parts of the word are derived from the Latin "legere," meaning "to gather or steal" and "religiosus," meaning "holy," respectively. This word is used to describe something that is disrespectful or irreverent towards something that is considered holy or sacred.
Sacrilegious is an adjective that describes someone or something as showing disrespect or irreverence towards sacred or holy things. It refers to actions, words, or beliefs that violate the sanctity or divine nature of a religious object, place, person, or idea. This term is commonly used in religious contexts and implies a willful and deliberate desecration or profanity, often considered offensive or sinful by followers of the concerned religion.
Sacrilege, the noun form of sacrilegious, involves actions that violate religious beliefs or practices, such as defacing an icon, vandalizing a place of worship, or blaspheming against a revered deity. Moreover, sacrilegious acts can also extend to the mockery or ridicule of religious rituals, traditions, or customs.
The term sacrilegious is subjective and deeply influenced by cultural and religious contexts. What may be deemed as sacrilegious in one religion or community might not hold the same significance for others. Given the sensitivity surrounding religion, discussions about sacrilege often emerge when individuals challenge religious norms or offend followers of a particular faith.
Emphasizing the violation of sacred or religious boundaries, sacrilegious serves as a strong term to condemn actions that are perceived as deeply disrespectful, offensive, or sacrilegious by adherents of a religion.
Violating sacred things; containing sacrilege.
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 sacrilegious originates from the Latin term sacrilegium which is a combination of two Latin words: sacer, meaning sacred, and legere, meaning to steal or to take away. The word was initially used in ancient Rome to describe the act of stealing or desecrating sacred or religious objects. Over time, the meaning of sacrilegium evolved to include any act that showed disrespect or irreverence towards things considered holy or sacred. From Latin, the term made its way into Late Middle English as sacriligion before eventually adopting its modern form, sacrilegious.