Blaspheme
/blæsˈfiːm/noun
To speak irreverently about sacred things or show disrespect towards God.
Did you know?In medieval Europe, blasphemy was considered a grave sin, often punishable by death, revealing the intense fear and reverence for divine power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰl̥es-
“to speak, to tell”
Ancient Greek
Greek
βλασφήμος (blasphemos)
“speaking evil, slanderous”
Late Latin
Latin
blasphemare
“to speak against, to revile”
Old French
Old French
blasfemer
“to speak irreverently of God”
15th Century
Middle English
blasphemien
“to speak evil of God or sacred things”
Modern English
English
blaspheme
“to speak of God in a disrespectful manner”