lese majesty

[ leez maj-uh-stee, lez ]

noun

1. Law.
   1. a crime, especially high treason, committed against the sovereign power.
   2. an offense that violates the dignity of a ruler.
2. an attack on any custom, institution, belief, etc., held sacred or revered by numbers of people:

   Her speech against Mother's Day was criticized as lese majesty.

lese-majesty

/ ˈliːzˈmædʒɪstɪ /

noun

1. any of various offences committed against the sovereign power in a state; treason
2. an attack on authority or position

Word History and Origins

Origin of lese majesty¹

First recorded in 1450–1500 in spelling lese mageste; current spelling dates from 1785–80; partial translation of Anglo-French, Middle French lese majesté, leze magesté, from Latin (crīmen) laesae mājestātis “(the crime) of injured majesty” (originally against the Roman people, later against the emperor)

Word History and Origins

Origin of lese majesty¹

C16: from French lèse majesté, from Latin laesa mājestās wounded majesty

Example Sentences

How could they, when they saw in the temper of the people too plain proofs that their lese-majesty had borne evil fruit?

From Project Gutenberg

Got to have a finger in some political pie, and political pies in Russia before the war were lese-majesty.

From Project Gutenberg

It will also be observed that he was condemned for no categorical crime—lese-majesty, treason, or rebellion.

From Project Gutenberg

They have conquered you already, as they boast, for the crime of lese-majesty has placed you at their mercy.

From Project Gutenberg