Sacrilege

sak′ri-lej, n. profanation of a sacred place or thing: the breaking into a place of worship and stealing therefrom.— n. Sac′rileger ( obs. ).— adj. Sacrilē′gio us , polluted with sacrilege: profane: violating sacred things.— adv. Sacrilē′giously .— ns. Sacrilē′giousne ; Sac′rilēgist , one guilty of sacrilege. [Fr. sacrilège —L. sacrilegium — sacer , sacred, legĕre , to gather.]