defilement

American  

[dih-fahyl-muhnt] / dɪˈfaɪl mənt /

noun

1. the act of making something foul, dirty, or unclean.

   Humankind's destruction and defilement of the natural environment is seriously endangering the continuation of life on this planet.

2. the violation of something considered sacred, or the act of making something ceremonially impure; desecration.

   I want to express our profound disgust and contempt for the recent defilement of the mosque by graffiti.

3. the act of violating a person’s chastity.

   The Lagos state government has approved the use of a toll-free emergency line to report cases of rape, defilement, child abuse, and other sexual assaults.

---

Other Word Forms

• nondefilement noun

Etymology

Origin of defilement

defile ¹ ( def. ) + -ment ( def. )

Example Sentences

It called for join efforts to combat "violent acts of defilement against sacred sites" and to create a safer, more respectful and tolerant environment in Jerusalem, which is revered by Christians, Jews and Muslims.

From BBC • Jan. 4, 2023

A bad apple might be icky and distasteful, but befouled meat caused a related, but totally distinct, sensation cluster of contamination, queasiness and defilement.

From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2021

Without fanfare or warning, P&D no longer looks like a bizarre defilement, breach or disruption of anything at all.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2019

In 1985, he condemned as “a defilement of history” a visit by President Ronald Reagan and West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl to a military cemetery in Bitburg, Germany, where some SS soldiers had been buried.

From Washington Post • Apr. 13, 2015

It reminded me that even the dead possessed HaShem’s sanctity and divine beauty and that no manner of defilement could take that away.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros