1
Stage 1 of 4
sacer
Latin · ancient
"holy"
holy, combined with legere (to gather, to steal)
2
Stage 2 of 4
sacrilegium
Latin · ancient
"theft of sacred things"
theft of sacred things, from sacer and legere
3
Stage 3 of 4
sacrilege
Old French · medieval
"a violation of something sacred"
carried into French for a violation of something sacred
4
Stage 4 of 4
sacrilege
English · 1200s
"the violation or disrespectful treatment of something sacred"
settled as the English word for the violation of something regarded as sacred
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