adjective
-
of, relating to, or involving sacrilege; impious
-
guilty of sacrilege
Pronunciation
The almost universal pronunciation of sacrilegious as 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 occurs in American English, though not in British English, and criticism of the newer pronunciation has almost disappeared.
Other Word Forms
- nonsacrilegious adjective
- nonsacrilegiously adverb
- nonsacrilegiousness noun
- pseudosacrilegious adjective
- pseudosacrilegiously adverb
- sacrilegiously adverb
- sacrilegiousness noun
- unsacrilegious adjective
- unsacrilegiously adverb
- unsacrilegiousness noun
Etymology
Origin of sacrilegious
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Stern acknowledges that although the original is “embedded in people’s hearts” and it might be “sacrilegious” to say “Home Alone 2,” “the filming of that one is the winner.”
From Los Angeles Times
I don’t know if this is sacrilegious, but we serve gumbo with rice, and so I’ll often serve my ratatouille with rice.
From Seattle Times
Muslims consider images of the prophet to be sacrilegious and encouraging of idolatry.
From Washington Times
Many Muslims object to depictions of Muhammad as sacrilegious, and the subject of how to show Islamic art in context has become a flashpoint for institutions.
From New York Times
As early as 1869, The New York Times wrote that the holiday could become “sacrilegious” and no longer “sacred” if it focuses more on pomp, dinners and oratory.
From Washington Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
