desecrate
/ˈdɛs.ɪ.kreɪt/
verb
Origin
Latin
desecrare — to consecrate away, to remove from sacred use
Overview
Meaning Now
- to treat a sacred place or object with violent disrespect
- to violate the sanctity of something held holy
Literal older meaning
to divest of sacred character
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
desecrate
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term emerged as a logical antithesis to 'consecrate' during the post-Reformation period in English, when theological debates regarding the status of church buildings and holy relics were frequent. It functions as a formal antonym to 'consecrate' and 'sanctify'.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
de-
“away, off”
- Classical Latin
sacrare
“to make sacred”
- Late 16th Century
desecratus
“having been made non-sacred”
Back-formation from ecclesiastical Latin terminology
- 17th Century English
desecrate
“to remove sanctity from”
Connections
Word parts
de-
prefix
away, reversal
sacr
root
sacred, holy
-ate
suffix
verb-forming suffix
Related across languages
French
désacraliser
to desacralize
Related words
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Related to desecrate
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.