Word of the Day
: October 7, 2024

\layz-MAJ-uh-stee\ noun

What It Means

Lèse-majesté (less commonly spelled lese majesty) can refer to a true crime or offense, or to something likened to a crime or offense. Most often, it’s the latter, with lèse-majesté referring—seriously or playfully—to an act of disrespect that diminishes the dignity or importance of someone or something. In the former use, lèse-majesté refers to a crime (such as treason) that is committed against a sovereign power, or to an offense that violates the dignity of a ruler as the representative of a sovereign power.

// Their less-than-formal attire at the wedding was regarded in jest as lèse-majesté.

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lèse-majesté in Context

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