sacrilegio
/sa.kriˈlɛ.d͡ʒo/masculine
The English word "sacrilege" is translated into Italian as sacrilegio.
sacrilegio is a masculine noun used to describe the desecration, profanation, misuse or violation of something sacred.
Meaning: desecration, profanation, misuse or violation of something sacred (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of sacrilegio is sacrilegi. The adjective form of the noun sacrilegio is sacrilego.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has four syllables, with the stress on the third syllable: /sa.kriˈlɛ.dʒo/.
Did you know?
- In Italy, sacrilegio is frequently used as a hyperbolic joke when someone ruins a classic recipe, such as putting pineapple on pizza or cream in carbonara.
- The English word 'sacrilege' and the Italian sacrilegio share the same Latin root, 'sacrilegium', which originally referred to the crime of stealing sacred objects from temples.
- While 'sacrilegio' is often used for religious contexts, Italians can use the adjective sacrilego metaphorically to describe someone who shows a complete lack of respect for even secular or highly valued social traditions.
Examples in context
- Sacrilegio!Sacrilege!This example shows how sacrilegio can be used as an exclamation.Tatoeba #2322596 by hitori37, translation #6583255 by Eccles17
- Quel vandalismo nella chiesa è un sacrilegio!That vandalism in the church is a sacrilege!
- Il danneggiamento della statua è un sacrilegio.Damaging the statue is a sacrilege.
- Considerano quel gesto un vero sacrilegio.They consider that gesture a true sacrilege.
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are discussing a ruined historical site.
- MartinaVedere questo luogo distrutto è un sacrilegio.Seeing this place destroyed is a sacrilege.
- AlessandroHai ragione, Martina, è un vero sacrilegio.You are right, Martina, it is a true sacrilege.
- MartinaNon potevano trattare la storia così.They could not treat history this way.
- AlessandroNessuno dovrebbe farlo.No one should do it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sacrilege” translations and entries sacrilegio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sacrilegio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
