blasphemy

Q: What is the difference between 'blasphemy' and 'heresy'?

Blasphemy , in a religious sense, refers to great disrespect shown to God or to something holy, or to something said or done that shows this kind of disrespect; heresy refers a belief or opinion that does not agree with the official belief or opinion of a particular religion. Both words are also sometimes used in general, not necessarily religious, contexts.

Q: What is the verb form of 'blasphemy'?

The verb form of blasphemy is blaspheme , as in "those who blaspheme God." It comes to English from the Late Latin word blasphemare .

noun

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blas·phe·my | \ ˈblas-fə-mē

plural blasphemies

Definition of blasphemy

1a : the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God accused of blasphemy

b : the act of claiming the attributes of a deity for a mere man to suggest that he was … divine could only be viewed … as blasphemy— John Bright †1889

2 : irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable

Synonyms & Antonyms Frequently Asked Questions About blasphemy More Example Sentences Learn More about blasphemy

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Frequently Asked Questions About blasphemy

What is the difference between blasphemy and heresy?

Blasphemy, in a religious sense, refers to great disrespect shown to God or to something holy, or to something said or done that shows this kind of disrespect; heresy refers a belief or opinion that does not agree with the official belief or opinion of a particular religion. Both words are also sometimes used in general, not necessarily religious, contexts.

What is the verb form of blasphemy?

The verb form of blasphemy is blaspheme, as in "those who blaspheme God." It comes to English from the Late Latin word blasphemare.

Does blasphemy have to be spoken?

Although in certain senses of the word it may be more common to use blasphemy in reference to speech, it may also be applied to writing. The word has broadened in meaning beyond "the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God"; it is now also used with the meaning "irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable."

Examples of blasphemy in a Sentence

She was condemned by the church for uttering blasphemies. in the 17th century the Quakers were persecuted for beliefs and practices that older churches regarded as blasphemies

Recent Examples on the Web Throng turns out for radical cleric's funeral in Pakistan: Tens of thousands of supporters assembled for the funeral of Khadim Hussein Rizvi, a radical cleric whose Islamist party has defended Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law. — Washington Post, "World Digest: Nov. 21, 2020," 21 Nov. 2020 French President Emmanuel Macron has defended the cartoons as symbols of freedom of expression, while Muslims across the world have called for boycotts of French goods and protested what many see as unacceptable blasphemy. — Washington Post, "In Tunisia, family of alleged Nice church attacker struggles to connect extremism with man they knew," 31 Oct. 2020 In addition to blasphemy, atheism is frowned upon by many in the majority Muslim north as well as in parts of the mostly Christian south. — Eoin Mcsweeney And Stephanie Busari, CNN, "The WhatsApp voice note that led to a death sentence," 29 Sep. 2020 This is blasphemy for the SEC, but probably patience is the answer for Auburn this season. — Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, "Auburn’s Bo Nix playing like season is a mulligan," 20 Oct. 2020 That attack made Charlie Hebdo into a national a symbol of conflict between France’s vision of free speech—including the right to blasphemy—and Islamic teachings that forbid depictions of Muhammad. — Sam Schechner And Noemie Bisserbe, WSJ, "French Officials Identify Chechen Man as Suspect in Teacher Beheading," 17 Oct. 2020 Tuesday's protest was organized by a conservative Muslim alliance that held mass protests in 2016 against Jakarta's ethnic Chinese Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, that led to him being imprisoned for blasphemy. — Niniek Karmini, Star Tribune, "Muslim protesters march against Indonesia's new labor law," 13 Oct. 2020 Qadri believes a person who commits blasphemy should be dealt with by the police but also believes that if another person were driven to commit acts of violence by their emotions, the law should not apply. — Barnini Chakraborty, Fox News, "Paris attack suspect wanted to avenge Prophet Muhammad cartoons, cell phone video claims," 28 Sep. 2020 Music studio assistant Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was sentenced to death by hanging on August 10 after being convicted of blasphemy by an Islamic court in northern Nigeria. — Eoin Mcsweeney And Stephanie Busari, CNN, "The WhatsApp voice note that led to a death sentence," 29 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blasphemy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

4 Dec 2020

Cite this Entry

“Blasphemy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blasphemy. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.

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More Definitions for blasphemy

blasphemy

noun

English Language Learners Definition of blasphemy

: great disrespect shown to God or to something holy

: something said or done that is disrespectful to God or to something holy

See the full definition for blasphemy in the English Language Learners Dictionary

blasphemy

noun

blas·phe·my | \ ˈblas-fə-mē

plural blasphemies

Legal Definition of blasphemy

: the crime of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God or a religion and its doctrines and writings and especially God as perceived by Christianity and Christian doctrines and writings

Note: In many states, blasphemy statutes have been repealed as contrary to the First Amendment.

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