sacrilegious

[ sak-ruh-lij-uhs, -lee-juhs ]

adjective

1. pertaining to or involving sacrilege:

   sacrilegious practices.

2. guilty of sacrilege:

   a sacrilegious person.

sacrilegious

/ ˌsækrɪˈlɪdʒəs /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or involving sacrilege; impious
2. guilty of sacrilege

Pronunciation Note

The almost universal pronunciation of sacrilegious as [sak-r, uh, -, lij, -, uh, s] is the result of folk etymology—modifying the pronunciation of an unfamiliar word so that it conforms to a more familiar one—in this case religious. Etymologically, sacrilegious has no direct relationship to religious. The historical pronunciation [sak-r, uh, -, lee, -j, uh, s] occurs in American English, though not in British English, and criticism of the newer pronunciation has almost disappeared.

Derived Forms

• ˌsacriˈlegiousness, noun
• ˌsacriˈlegiously, adverb

Other Words From

• sacri·legious·ly adverb
• sacri·legious·ness noun
• nonsac·ri·legious adjective
• nonsac·ri·legious·ly adverb
• nonsac·ri·legious·ness noun
• pseudo·sacri·legious adjective
• pseudo·sacri·legious·ly adverb
• unsac·ri·legious adjective
• unsac·ri·legious·ly adverb
• unsac·ri·legious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sacrilegious¹

1400–50; late Middle English sacrilegiose; sacrilege, -ous

Example Sentences

Prosecutors said the group had "insulted in a sacrilegious manner the centuries-old foundations of the Russian Orthodox Church".

From The Daily Beast

For the original readers, these changes are considered sacrilegious.

From The Daily Beast

True confession: I hated Madame Bovary, sacrilegious as that sounds.

From The Daily Beast

Talking about good and evil is fine, but conflating the American government with good is sacrilegious.

From The Daily Beast

Here was truly a sacrilegious adoration; yet we are not told that it excited discontent.

From Project Gutenberg

From thence he commanded the sacrilegious wretch to be thrown down into the ashes, all men thrusting him forward unto death.

From Project Gutenberg

That sacrilegious wretch, who carries on his shield the portrait of Malborgiane, his mistress!

From Project Gutenberg

It was plain I had stumbled with sacrilegious feet into the room of the daughter of the house.

From Project Gutenberg

They stood in front of the door of the tomb and spoke some sacrilegious words.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• blasphemous
• indecent
• obscene
• sinful