profanation
nounUK /pɹɒfəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/
Etymology From Middle French prophanation, profanation, and its source, Late Latin profanatio, from the participle stem of Latin profānō.
1
The act of profaning; desecration, blasphemous behaviour, defilement.
- those which mocke and condemne it, intend neverthelesse to wrong this noble vertue; but onely to condemne the abuse and profanation of so sacred a title[…].1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 37, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
- […] but there is a time and a season for all things, and we look upon such attempts as that before us, with a certain portion of respect for a good intention, but as a lamentable want of judgment and good taste, not to speak of a familiarity with the phraseology of Scripture, little short of profanation.1826-06, The Gentleman's Magazine, page 528
- Related terms
- profane