Defane
/dɪˈfeɪn/noun
To profane, desecrate, or defile something sacred.
Did you know?Defane belongs to the same Latin temple-word family as profane and fanatic, linking desecration, sacred space, and religious frenzy through the root fanum.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
fanum
“A temple or sacred sanctuary”
Late Latin
Latin
dēfānāre
“To profane or desecrate a sacred place”
Old French
Old French
desfaner
“To profane or remove sacred status”
Middle English
Middle English
defanen
“To profane, defile, or desecrate”
Early Modern English
English
defane
“To violate or pollute what is sacred”
Modern English
English
defane
“An obsolete or archaic verb meaning to profane”