lese majesty

[ lez, leez ]
/ ˈlɛz, liz /

noun

Law.
  1. a crime, especially high treason, committed against the sovereign power.
  2. an offense that violates the dignity of a ruler.
an attack on any custom, institution, belief, etc., held sacred or revered by numbers of people: Her speech against Mother's Day was criticized as lese majesty.
Also lèse majesty, lèse maj·es·té [lez mah-juh-stey; lez maj-uh-stee, leez] /ˈlɛz ˌmɑ dʒəˈsteɪ; ˈlɛz ˈmædʒ ə sti, ˈliz/.

Origin of lese majesty

1530–40; < French lèse-majesté, after Latin ( crīmen) laesae mājestātis (the crime) of injured majesty

Words nearby lese majesty

Example sentences from the Web for lese-majesty

British Dictionary definitions for lese-majesty

lese-majesty
/ (ˈliːzˈmædʒɪstɪ) /

noun

any of various offences committed against the sovereign power in a state; treason
an attack on authority or position

Word Origin for lese-majesty

C16: from French lèse majesté, from Latin laesa mājestās wounded majesty