lese majesty

American  

[lez, leez maj-uh-stee] / ˈlɛz, ˈliz ˈmædʒ ə sti /

Also lèse majesty,

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.

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lese-majesty British  

/ ˈliːzˈmædʒɪstɪ /

noun

1. any of various offences committed against the sovereign power in a state; treason

2. an attack on authority or position

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Etymology

Origin of lese majesty

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)

Example Sentences

No Japanese businessman has ever tried to use the crest as a trademark, but a prewar Diet candidate once distributed sweet cakes decorated with a chrysanthemum and was promptly jailed for botanical lese majesty.

From Time Magazine Archive

Some claimed their own steam plants were cheaper � almost lese majesty in the Columbia River Valley.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Indians are now seeking redress in a legal court instead of a royal one, so last week Snow and his colleagues decided not to commit lese majesty.

From Time Magazine Archive

For this ancient act of lese majesty, Dame Edith took pen in blue-veined hand, rattled her Tibetan bracelets and administered a crushing snub to Villiers David.

From Time Magazine Archive

It was further ordained under pain of lese majesty, that no true and faithful lieges taken by these men should be holden to enter to them, all bonds to the contrary notwithstanding.

From Border Raids and Reivers by Borland, Robert