Where does “blasphemy” come from?
Blasphemy comes from Middle English blasfemye, from Old French blasfemie, from Ecclesiastical Latin blasphemia, from Ancient Greek βλασφημέω meaning to speak profanely, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-.
blasphemy (English): An act of irreverence or contempt toward a god or...
Definitions
- An act of irreverence or contempt toward a god or...
Ancestry of “blasphemy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | blasfemie | Blasphemy; insulting acts or speech against a deity |
| 2 | Old French | blasfemie | blasphemy |
| 3 | Ecclesiastical Latin | blasphemia | blasphemy; slander, reviling |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | βλασφημία | profanity; slander, blasphemy |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -ῐ́ᾱ | {{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |