blasphemy
[blas-fuh-mee]
- impious utterance or action concerning God or sacred things.
- Judaism.
- an act of cursing or reviling God.
- pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) in the original, now forbidden manner instead of using a substitute pronunciation such as Adonai.
- Theology. the crime of assuming to oneself the rights or qualities of God.
- irreverent behavior toward anything held sacred, priceless, etc.: He uttered blasphemies against life itself.
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Origin of blasphemy
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
heresydesecrationsacrilegeexecrationscoffingprofanityimpietyimprecationscurrilityprofanationabuselewdnessindignityvituperationrevilingcursingcussingExamples from the Web for blasphemy
Contemporary Examples
According to Pew, 14 of the 20 countries in the Middle East and North Africa have blasphemy laws.
Have a look at this telling research from Pew on blasphemy and apostasy laws around the world.
Since 1987, there have been roughly 1,300 cases filed under the blasphemy laws, according to varied reports.
Its blasphemy law, which carries the death penalty, is frequently invoked and just as frequently misused.
Pakistan’s Dance With Terrorists Just Backfired and Killed 132 ChildrenChris Allbritton
December 17, 2014
If you muttered, “blasphemy” after reading the first tip about skipping a snack, then snack smart.
Historical Examples
Yet it were blasphemy to say that true love is other than immortal.
Other Tales and SketchesNathaniel Hawthorne
It was blasphemy to think of her in such case, subjected to the degradation of these processes.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
Comrade Ossipon met the shock of this blasphemy by an awful, vacant stare.
The Secret AgentJoseph Conrad
It is not only nonsense, but blasphemy, to say that man has spoilt the country.
Alarms and DiscursionsG. K. Chesterton
It were blasphemy to call this riot the desire for progress for the masses.
Blood and IronJohn Hubert Greusel
blasphemy
- blasphemous behaviour or language
- Also called: blasphemous libel law the crime committed if a person insults, offends, or vilifies the deity, Christ, or the Christian religion
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for blasphemy
n.
early 13c., from Old French blasfemie "blasphemy," from Late Latin blasphemia, from Greek blasphemia "a speaking ill, impious speech, slander," from blasphemein "to speak evil of." Second element is pheme "utterance" (see fame); first element uncertain, perhaps related to blaptikos "hurtful," though blax "slack (in body and mind), stupid" also has been suggested.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper