1. Blasphemous behavior; such as, the violation, desecration, or theft of something considered holy or revered and respected: The spray paint on the statues of the honored soldiers in the park was considered a sacrilege which did not reflect the true feelings of the townspeople.
2. The act of violating or profaning anything of a religious or revered nature: Swearing by using God's name during the politician's speech was considered a sacrilege and he was greatly condemned by many in the audience.
3. The act of depriving something of its revered character; for example, the disrespectful or irreverent treatment of something other people consider worthy of respect and honor: Since the author was honest and she provided substantial evidence about the dishonest politicians, the severe criticism by the governor was considered a sacrilege by the writer's readers.
4. Etymology: from Latin sacrilegium, "the robbing of a temple, the stealing of sacred things", which is composed of sacer, "holy, divine, sacred" + -legus from legere, "to gather, to pick up, to carry off, to steal".