November 2014 WOTDs

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30 November 2014

clemency

Synonyms

noun, plural clemencies.
1. the quality of being clement; disposition to show forbearance, compassion, or forgiveness in judging or punishing; leniency; mercy.
2. an act or deed showing mercy or leniency.
3. (of the weather) mildness or temperateness.

Origin

late Middle English Anglo-French, Latin
1375-1425; late Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Latin clēmentia. See clement, -cy

Related forms

overclemency, noun

Synonyms
1. forgivingness, gentleness, mercifulness.

Antonyms
1. harshness. 3. severity.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for clemency
– He had asked the governor not to grant him clemency.
– The parole board, however, later recommended against clemency.
– There were no arguments in support of clemency made at this hearing.

Anagram

cycle men

29 November 2014

sinistral

[sin-uh-struh l]

adjective
1. of, pertaining to, or on the left side; left (opposed to dextral ).
2. left-handed.
3. (of certain gastropod shells) coiling counterclockwise, as seen from the apex.

Origin
late Middle English, Medieval Latin
1425-1475; late Middle English < Medieval Latin sinistrālis. See sinister, -al1

Related forms
sinistrally, adverb

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for sinistral
– That’s great for attacking snails with clockwise dextral shells, but less so for those with anti-clockwise sinistral ones.
– It seems probable that a sinistral transform system was developed through this continental bridge.

Anagram

stir nails
rain silts

28 November 2014

recondite

[rek-uh n-dahyt, ri-kon-dahyt]

adjective
1. dealing with very profound, difficult, or abstruse subject matter:
a recondite treatise.
2. beyond ordinary knowledge or understanding; esoteric:
recondite principles.
3. little known; obscure:
a recondite fact.

Origin

Latin

1640-1650; earlier recondit < Latin reconditus recondite, hidden (orig. past participle of recondere to hide), equivalent to re- re- + cond (ere) to bring together ( con- con- + -dere to put) + -itus -ite2

Related forms
reconditely, adverb
reconditeness, noun
unrecondite, adjective

Synonyms
2. deep. 3. mysterious, occult, secret.

Antonyms
2. exoteric. 3. well-known.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for recondite
– There seems to be no recondite meaning in the piece.
– Well, anyone who has ever pored over a scientific research paper will recall its recondite jargon.
– But these are never presented in order to dazzle us with recondite knowledge alone.

Anagram

or enticed
into creed
toner dice
iced tenor

27 November 2014

invidious

[in-vid-ee-uh s]

adjective
1. calculated to create ill will or resentment or give offense; hateful:
invidious remarks.
2. offensively or unfairly discriminating; injurious:
invidious comparisons.
3. causing or tending to cause animosity, resentment, or envy:
an invidious honor.
4. Obsolete, envious.

Origin
Latin
1600-1610; < Latin invidiōsus envious, envied, hateful, equivalent to invidi (a) envy + -ōsus -ous

Related forms
invidiously, adverb
invidiousness, noun
noninvidious, adjective
noninvidiously, adverb
noninvidiousness, noun

Can be confused
insidious, invidious.
Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for invidious
– It might be that in this case an absence of invidious commentary suggests an absence of invidious feeling.
– The precise question is whether the difference in treatment is invidious or arbitrary.
– The provisions in controversy are rationally based and free from invidious discrimination.

Anagram

void I in us

26 November 2014

dross

[draws, dros]

noun
1. waste matter; refuse.
2. Metallurgy. a waste product taken off molten metal during smelting, essentially metallic in character.
3. British. coal of little value.

Origin

Middle English, Old English
1050 before 1050; Middle English dros (se), Old English drōs; cognate with Middle Dutch droes dregs; compare Middle English drōsen, Old English drōsna; cognate with Middle High German truosen husks

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for dross
– The dross has been burned away and what remains is the essential character.
– Compared to the dancing silhouettes, this is pure dross.
– Nowhere is it written that anyone can turn water to wine, dross to gold or frogs into princes by following a step-by-step guide.

25 November 2014

transmogrify

[trans-mog-ruh-fahy, tranz-]

verb (used with object), transmogrified, transmogrifying.

1. to change in appearance or form, especially strangely or grotesquely; transform.

Origin
1650-1660; earlier also transmigrify, transmography; apparently a pseudo-Latinism with trans-, -ify

Related forms

transmogrification, noun

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for transmogrify
– But taking such a precautionary step does not transmogrify an agreement-based sentence into one based on the guidelines.
– It’s fascinating, in fact, to watch him transmogrify reality into fiction.
– In our view, this enlistment of third parties does not transmogrify a non-infringing use into an infringing use.

Anagram

gratify norms
fraying storm
Army frosting

24 November 2014

glom

[glom]

verb (used with object), glommed, glomming.
1. to steal.
2. to catch or grab.
3. to look at.
noun
4. a look or glimpse.
Verb phrases
5. glom onto, to take hold or possession of:
He wanted to glom onto some of that money.

Origin

Scots, Gaelic
1895-1900, Americanism; compare Scots glaum, glam to snatch at, glammis jaws of a vise, apparently < Scots Gaelic glàm to grab, clutch, influenced by clam2

Dictionary.com

23 November 2014

debouch

[dih-boosh, -bouch]

verb (used without object)
1. to march out from a narrow or confined place into open country, as a body of troops:
The platoon debouched from the defile into the plain.
2. Physical Geography.
to emerge from a relatively narrow valley upon an open plain:
A river or glacier debouches on the plains.
to flow from a small valley into a larger one.
3. to come forth; emerge.
noun
4. débouché.

Origin
French
1655-1665; < French déboucher, equivalent to dé- dis-1+ -boucher, verbal derivative of bouche mouth < Latin bucca cheek, jaw

Can be confused
debauch, debouch.

Dictionary.com

Anagram

ouch bed
echo Bud
oh cubed

22 November 2014

droog

noun

“gang member, young ruffian,” a transliteration of the Russian word for “friend,” introduced by English novelist Anthony Burgess in “A Clockwork Orange” (1962). The Russian word comes from Old Church Slavonic drugu “companion, friend, other” (source of Bohemian drug “companion,” Serbo-Croatian drugi “other”), which belongs to a group of related Indo-European words (e.g. Lithuanian draugas “friend, traveling companion;” Gothic driugan “do military service,” ga-drauhts “soldier;” Old Norse drott, Old English dryht, Old High German truht “multitude, people, army”) apparently with an original sense of “companion.”

Example:

‘There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening’. (From ‘Clockwork Orange’, by Anthony Burgess).

Anagram

or god
go rod

21 November 2014

invocation

[in-vuh-key-shuh n]

noun
1. the act of invoking or calling upon a deity, spirit, etc., for aid, protection, inspiration, or the like; supplication.
2. any petitioning or supplication for help or aid.
3. a form of prayer invoking God’s presence, especially one said at the beginning of a religious service or public ceremony.
4. an entreaty for aid and guidance from a Muse, deity, etc., at the beginning of an epic or epiclike poem.
5. the act of calling upon a spirit by incantation.
6. the magic formula used to conjure up a spirit; incantation.
7. the act of calling upon or referring to something, as a concept or document, for support and justification in a particular circumstance.

Origin
Middle English, Latin
1325-13751325-75; Middle English invocacio (u) n < Latin invocātiōn- (stem of invocātiō). See invocate, -ion

Related forms
invocatory [in-vok-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], adjective
preinvocation, noun

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for invocation
– Formerly there were many churches in that city dedicated under the invocation of these two holy martyrs.
– Genevieve persuaded the people to build a chapel under his invocation on the spot where the abbey was afterwards founded.
– By the following years, when such words were all too accurate, they had been somewhat debased by premature invocation.

Anagram

a tonic vino
to coin vain
can I vino to

20 November 2014

chromatic

[kroh-mat-ik, kruh-]

adjective
1. pertaining to color or colors.
2. Music.
involving a modification of the normal scale by the use of accidentals.
progressing by semitones, especially to a tone having the same letter name, as in C to C sharp.

Origin
Greek
1590-1600; < Greek chrōmatikós, equivalent to chrōmat- (see chromato- ) + -ikos -ic

Related forms
chromatically, adverb
nonchromatic, adjective
nonchromatically, adverb
unchromatic, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for chromatic Expand
– Its principal motif is the chromatic scale, or half-steps that rise and fall.
– As he matured, his language became increasingly complex and chromatic.
– Thick, astringent chromatic harmonies come in tightly bound chords to create nervous sonorities.

Anagram

trim coach
circa moth
artic ohm

19 November 2014

sonorous

[suh-nawr-uh s, -nohr-, son-er-uh s]

adjective
1. giving out or capable of giving out a sound, especially a deep, resonant sound, as a thing or place:
a sonorous cavern.
2. loud, deep, or resonant, as a sound.
3. rich and full in sound, as language or verse.
4. high-flown; grandiloquent:
a sonorous speech.

Origin
Latin

1605-1615; < Latin sonōrus noisy, sounding, equivalent to sonōr-, stem of sonor sound ( son (āre) to sound1+ -or -or1) + -us -ous

Related forms
sonorously, adverb
sonorousness, noun
multisonorous, adjective
multisonorously, adverb
multisonorousness, noun

Synonyms
4. eloquent, florid, grandiose, orotund.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for sonorous
– The pipa is a sonorous, four-stringed, pear-shaped instrument held upright on the lap.
– However wrapped up in sonorous stuff about synergy, plenty of mergers begin with sheer executive boredom.
– And the wind plays on those great sonorous harps, the shrouds and masts of ships.

Anagram

soon ours
our son so

18 November 2014

lief

[leef]

adverb
1. gladly; willingly:
I would as lief go south as not.

adjective, Archaic.
2. willing; desirous.
3. dear; beloved; treasured.

Origin
Middle English, Old English
900, before 900; Middle English leef, Old English lēof; cognate with Dutch lief, German lieb, Old Norse ljufr, Gothic liufs; akin to love

Related forms
liefly, adverb

Dictionary.com

Anagram

file
life

17 November 2014

cacophony

[kuh-kof-uh-nee]

noun, plural cacophonies.
1. harsh discordance of sound; dissonance:
a cacophony of hoots, cackles, and wails.
2. a discordant and meaningless mixture of sounds:
the cacophony produced by city traffic at midday.
3. Music. frequent use of discords of a harshness and relationship difficult to understand.

Origin
Greek
1650-1660; < Neo-Latin cacophonia < Greek kakophōnía. See caco-, -phony

Related forms
cacophonic [kak-uh-fon-ik], adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for cacophony
– The resulting cacophony is exhausting for the user, who must concentrate to isolate relevant input.
– On such networks, conventional wiretaps will yield a cacophony of useless electronic noise.
– When I blog on politics, on the other hand, there’s a cacophony of voices.

Anagram

nacho copy
cyan pooch

16 November 2014

sophisticated

[suh-fis-ti-key-tid]

adjective
1. (of a person, ideas, tastes, manners, etc.) altered by education, experience, etc., so as to be worldly-wise; not naive:
a sophisticated young socialite; the sophisticated eye of a journalist.
2. pleasing or satisfactory to the tastes of sophisticates :
sophisticated music.
3. deceptive; misleading.
4. complex or intricate, as a system, process, piece of machinery, or the like:
a sophisticated electronic control system.
5. of, for, or reflecting educated taste, knowledgeable use, etc.:
Many Americans are drinking more sophisticated wines now.

Also, sophisticate.

Origin
Medieval Latin
1595-1605; < Medieval Latin sophisticāt (us) sophisticate + -ed2

Related forms
sophisticatedly, adverb
hypersophisticated, adjective
hypersophisticatedly, adverb
oversophisticated, adjective
supersophisticated, adjective

Synonyms
1. worldly, cosmopolitan, experienced, cultivated.
Antonyms Expand
1. naive.

sophisticate

[n., adj. suh-fis-ti-kit, -keyt; v. suh-fis-ti-keyt]

noun
1. a sophisticated person.
adjective
2. sophisticated.
verb (used with object), sophisticated, sophisticating.
3. to make less natural, simple, or ingenuous; make worldly-wise.
4. to alter; pervert:
to sophisticate a meaning beyond recognition.

verb (used without object), sophisticated, sophisticating.
5. to use sophistry; quibble.

Origin
1350-1400; Middle English (adj. and v.) < Medieval Latin sophisticātus (past participle of sophisticāre to tamper with, disguise, trick with words), equivalent to Latin sophistic (us) (see sophistic ) + -ātus -ate1

Related forms
outsophisticate, verb (used with object), outsophisticated, outsophisticating.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for sophisticated

– He expected odious solitary scavengers but instead found sophisticated hunters living in complex clans.
– Psychology often takes simple behavioral data and tries to make it more complicated and sophisticated.
– They’re growing ever more complex, subtle, and sophisticated.

Anagram (sophisticated)

chastities pod
idiots patches
a despotic hits

15 November 2014

cajole

[kuh-johl]

verb (used with object), verb (used without object), cajoled, cajoling.
1. to persuade by flattery or promises; wheedle; coax.

Origin
French, Late Latin, Latin
1635-1645; < French cajoler to cajole or chatter like a jaybird, apparently derivative of *cajole birdcage (< Late Latin caveola < Latin cave (a) cage + -ola ole1) + -er infinitive suffix

Related forms
cajolement, noun
cajoler, noun
cajolingly, adverb
uncajoling, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for cajole
– Managers and promoters come up and flatter him, cajole him into working for them, but at last he escapes again.
– Upon her arrival at such places her first chore was to charm and cajole the villagers into working without pay.
– Duveen could determine which multimillionaire would most appreciate it and then cajole and flatter him into the purchase.

13 November 2014

concomitant

[kon-kom-i-tuh nt, kuh n-]

adjective
1. existing or occurring with something else, often in a lesser way; accompanying; concurrent:
an event and its concomitant circumstances.
noun
2. a concomitant quality, circumstance, or thing.

Origin

Latin
1595-1605; < Latin concomitant- (stem of concomitāns, present participle of concomitārī), equivalent to con- con- + comit- (stem of comes) comes + -ant- -ant

Related forms
concomitantly, adverb

Synonyms
1. associated.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for concomitant
– And there are powerful reasons for seeking to avoid the destruction of wilderness and the concomitant extinction of species.
– Short-term pain is an inevitable concomitant of structural reform: it is not an excuse for not doing it.
– Within the redevelopment area, many businesses are struggling with falling sales concomitant with a district in decline.

Anagram

manic cotton
Tonic Tom can

13 November 2014

titivate

[tit-uh-veyt]

verb (used with object), titivated, titivating.
1. to make smart or spruce:
She titivated her old dress with a new belt.

verb (used without object), titivated, titivating.
2. to make oneself smart or spruce.

Also, tittivate.

Origin
1795-1805; earlier tidivate (tidy + (ele)vate; i.e., tidy up)

Related forms
titivation, noun
titivator, noun

Dictionary.com

Anagram

tie it vat

12 November 2014

obtrude

[uh b-trood]

verb (used with object), obtruded, obtruding.
1. to thrust (something) forward or upon a person, especially without warrant or invitation:
to obtrude one’s opinions upon others.
2. to thrust forth; push out.
verb (used without object), obtruded, obtruding.
3. to thrust forward, especially unduly; intrude.

Origin
Latin
1545-1555; < Latin obtrūdere to thrust against, equivalent to ob- ob- + trūdere to thrust

Related forms
obtruder, noun
preobtrude, verb (used with object), preobtruded, preobtruding.
unobtruded, adjective
unobtruding, adjective

Synonyms
1. impose, force. 3. shove, push.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for obtrude
– He should remember not to obtrude on the privacy of the members he does not know.
– Whatever pain he suffered, he bore it in silence, and seemed only anxious not to obtrude his malady.
– Clearing shall also include the removal and disposal of structures that obtrude, encroach upon, or otherwise obstruct the work.

Anagram

doubter
bred out

11 November 2014

prescient

[presh-uh nt, ‐ee-uh nt pree-shuh nt, ‐shee-uh nt]

adjective
1. having prescience, or knowledge of things or events before they exist or happen; having foresight:
The prescient economist was one of the few to see the financial collapse coming.

Related forms
presciently, adverb
nonprescient, adjective
nonpresciently, adverb
unprescient, adjective
unpresciently, adverb

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for prescient
– The selection now looks prescient.
– In 2006, Sterling published an entire cookbook on hummus—and that turned out to be a prescient publication.
– His remarks proved prescient.

Word Origin and History for prescient
adj.
1620s, from Middle French prescient (15c.) and directly from Latin praescientem (nominative praesciens), present participle of praescire (see prescience ).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Anagram

i percent
pence stir
trip scene
nicer pets

10 November 2014

palliasse

[pal-yas, pal-yas, pal-ee-as, pal-ee-as]

noun
1. (Chiefly British). a mattress of straw; pallet.

Also, paillasse (American).
Origin
French, Italian
1500-1510; < French < Italian pagliaccio straw pallet, equivalent to pagli (a) straw (< Latin palea chaff) + -accio pejorative noun suffix. From French paillasse, from Italian pagliaccio, ultimately from Latin palea

Dictionary.com

Example

– Trainees recalled wire beds with palliasses and the iron wardrobes: ‘they used to wake you up by running down the centre of the hut belting these iron wardrobes with a truncheon’. From ‘Gough Whitlam: a moment in history: the biography – Volume 1’, by Jenny Hocking.

Anagram

alias spiel
pals liaise

9 November 2014

mien

[meen]

noun
1. air, bearing, or demeanor, as showing character, feeling, etc.:
a man of noble mien.

Origin
1505-1515; probably aphetic variant of obsolete demean bearing, demean2; spelled with -ie- to distinguish it from mean2

Can be confused
mean, mien.

Synonyms

appearance, look; carriage.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for mien
– Voters seemed put off by his gloomy and aloof mien.
– Offit is quick-witted, funny, and — despite a generally mild-mannered mien — sometimes so assertive as to seem brash.
– I’m ever amazed by the undignified mien of many sales reps.

Anagram

mine

8 November 2014

vociferous

[voh-sif-er-uh s]

adjective
1. crying out noisily; clamorous.
2. characterized by or uttered with vociferation :
a vociferous manner of expression.

Origin
1605-1615; vocifer(ant) + -ous

Related forms

vociferously, adverb
vociferousness, noun
unvociferous, adjective
unvociferously, adverb
unvociferousness, noun

Can be confused

veracious, vociferous, voracious.

Synonyms
1. loud, noisy, vocal, uproarious, boisterous.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for vociferous
– Yet a small but vociferous number of scientists remain undeterred.
– Being vociferous breeders and feeding on the eggs and chicks of other birds, crows drove indigenous species from entire suburbs.
– The over vociferous anti-drug people have a long history of exaggeration and lies.

Anagram

four voices
voice for us

7 November 2014

peevish

[pee-vish]

adjective
1. cross, querulous, or fretful, as from vexation or discontent:
a peevish youngster.
2. showing annoyance, irritation, or bad mood:
a peevish reply; a peevish frown.
3. perverse or obstinate.

Origin

Middle English

1350-1400; Middle English pevysh < ?

Related forms

peevishly, adverb
peevishness, noun
unpeevish, adjective
unpeevishly, adverb
unpeevishness, noun

Synonyms
1. petulant, irritable, snappish. See cross.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for peevish
– The movie has the metabolism, logic and attention span of a peevish 6-year-old.
– While he can be peevish and even mean, he is also frequently funny and generous.
– Martin isn’t a very likable character—he’s peevish, disdainful and annoyingly self-important.

Anagram

eve ship

6 November 2014

abstruse

[ab-stroos]

adjective

1. hard to understand; recondite; esoteric:
abstruse theories.
2. Obsolete. secret; hidden.
Origin

Latin

1590-1600; < Latin abstrūsus thrust away, concealed (past participle of abstrūdere), equivalent to abs- abs- + trūd- thrust + -tus past participle suffix

Related forms

abstrusely, adverb
abstruseness, noun

Can be confused

abstruse, obtuse.

Synonyms

1. incomprehensible, unfathomable, arcane.

Antonyms

1. clear, uncomplicated, simple; obvious.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for abstruse

– Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult for the economic operators to comprehend the abstruse provisions correctly.
– If your initial topic seems abstruse, consider the motivation that led you to it in the first place.
– It’s often stimulating, but too abstruse for the average reader.

Anagram

brats use
bats user
stare bus

5 November 2014

chit (1)
[chit]

noun
1. a signed note for money owed for food, drink, etc.
2. any receipt, voucher, or similar document, especially of an informal nature.
3. Chiefly British. a note; short memorandum.

Origin
Hindi
1775-1785; short for chitty < Hindi chiṭṭī

chit (2)
[chit]

noun
1. a child or young person, especially an impudent, pert or self-confident girl or child.
-A young chit of a thing.

Origin
1350-1400; for sense of “the young of an animal”; 1615-25 for current sense; Middle English; perhaps akin to kitten or kid

chit  (3)
[chit]

noun, Hinduism.
1. cit. (Pure consciousness)

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for chit
– Using education as a chit in his misguided political bargaining strategy is reprehensible.
– Now, it seems to me that bar talk should be dealt with as chit chat, which it is.
– No chit chat with coworkers when a customer is around.

4 November 2014

droll

[drohl]

adjective, droller, drollest.
1. amusing in an odd way; whimsically humorous; waggish.
noun
2. a droll person; jester; wag.
verb (used without object)
3. Archaic. to jest; joke.

Origin
Middle French, Middle Dutch
1615-1625; < Middle French drolle pleasant rascal < Middle Dutch drol a fat little man

Related forms
drollness, noun
drolly, adverb

Synonyms
1. diverting, odd, witty. See amusing. 2, 3. clown.

Antonyms
1. serious.
Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for droll
– The collage-and-paint illustrations of the mice are droll.
– It’s a kid’s book, but extremely charming and droll.
– So is their droll, devil-may-care inventiveness.

3 November 2014

bathos

[bey-thos, -thaws, -thohs]

noun
1. a ludicrous descent from the exalted or lofty to the commonplace; anticlimax.
2. insincere pathos; sentimentality; mawkishness.
3. triteness or triviality in style.

Related forms

bathetic (adjective)
1. displaying or characterized by bathos:
– the bathetic emotionalism of soap operas.

Origin
1630-1640; < Greek: depth

Can be confused
bathos, pathos.

Synonyms
2. maudlinness, tearfulness; mush, gush, schmaltz. 3. insipidity, inanity.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for bathos
– But there is nothing but excess, self-indulgence and bathos.
– And in reading their requests the bathos of the ultimate penalty is impossible to ignore.
– The film is an unqualified delight, never descending into sloppy sentiment or boggy bathos.

Anagram

so bath

2 November 2014

heretic

[n. her-i-tik; adj. her-i-tik, huh-ret-ik]

noun
1. a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church.
2. Roman Catholic Church. a baptized Roman Catholic who willfully and persistently rejects any article of faith.
3. anyone who does not conform to an established attitude, doctrine, or principle.

adjective
4. heretical.

Origin
Middle English, Middle French, Late Latin, Greek
1300-1350; Middle English heretik < Middle French heretique < Late Latin haereticus < Greek hairetikós able to choose ( Late Greek: heretical), equivalent to hairet (ós) that may be taken (verbal adjective of haireîn to choose) + -ikos -ic

Related forms
semiheretic, adjective, noun

Synonyms
1. apostate, backslider, recreant, protestant. 3. dissenter, skeptic, freethinker.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for heretic
– The church burned him at the stake as a heretic.
– As a heretic he could not be given a proper church burial.
– Church leaders, who have labeled Headley a heretic, dispute his story and say he was an incompetent troublemaker.

Anagram

cheer it
cite her
the rice

1 November 2014

blasphemy

[blas-fuh-mee]

noun, plural blasphemies.

1. impious utterance or action concerning God or sacred things.
2. Judaism. An act of cursing or reviling God.
Pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) in the original, now forbidden manner instead of using a substitute pronunciation such as Adonai.
3. Theology. the crime of assuming to oneself the rights or qualities of God.
4. irreverent behavior toward anything held sacred, priceless, etc.:
– He uttered blasphemies against life itself.

Origin
Middle English Late Latin
1175-1225; Middle English blasphemie < Late Latin blasphēmia < Greek. See blasphemous, -y3

Related forms
nonblasphemy, noun, plural nonblasphemies.

Synonyms
1. profanity, cursing, swearing; sacrilege, impiety.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for blasphemy
– Some would call this wit, others blasphemy.
– For superstitious sailors, having a woman on a boat at all is just plain dangerous, but a woman skipper is viewed as blasphemy.
– Take your lies and blasphemy elsewhere.

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