Spanish Conversation · Level 151
30 words
Spanish word
sacrilegio
Pronunciation
IPA/sakɾiˈlexjo/
Meaning
- masculine nounsacrilege
Example
¡Es un sacrilegio perder esa oportunidad!
It is sacrilege to miss that opportunity!
More examples
Muchos calificaron de sacrilegio la remodelación de la iglesia.
Many called the church's renovation sacrilege.
Core concept
A grave insult to something cherished.
Common phrases
calificar de sacrilegio
call ... sacrilege
Similar words
ofensa: Hurtful comment or action intended to wound someone's feelings.
insulto: Direct remark or gesture that openly insults or demeans a person.
blasfemia: Openly insulting language directed at a deity, religion, or holy things.
profanación: Disrespectful treatment that damages or profanes sacred objects or places.
Definition in Spanish
Describe un acto profanador contra lo sagrado y, en sentido figurado, una falta muy seria de respeto hacia algo apreciado.
Word origin
Comes from medieval Latin sacrilegium, literally 'taking the sacred' (sacer 'sacred' + legere 'to take'), which shifted from theft of holy things to any serious disrespect toward what is valued.
Usage tips
- The noun sacrilegio contrasts with the adjective sacrílego (accent on the i), and English speakers often conflate them with English 'sacrilegious'.
Opposites
- piedadpietynoun
Related words
- sacrílegosacrilegiousadjective