[sac.ri.lege] n [ME, fr. MF, fr. L sacrilegium, fr. sacrilegus one who steals sacred things, fr. sacr-, sacer + legere to gather, steal--more at legend] (14c) 1: a technical and not necessarily intrinsically outrageous violation (as improper reception of a sacrament) of what is sacred because consecrated to God
2: gross irreverence toward a hallowed person, place, or thing -- sac.ri.le.gious adj -- sac.ri.le.gious.ly adv -- sac.ri.le.gious.ness n