English
lèse-majesté
Lèse-majesté comes from French lèse-majesté, and goes back to Latin laesa maiestās ‘injured majesty’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElaesa maiestās‘injured majesty’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentlèse-majesté
- Englishearliest quotation 1917same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElaesa maiestās‘injured majesty’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentlèse-majesté
- Englishearliest quotation 1917same form
Earliest quotation: 1917, James W. Gerard: “Convictions for the crime of Lèse-Majesté are of almost…”
Every English word from Latin laesa maiestās
Today it means
noun The crime of violating majesty, an offense against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin laesa maiestās / lèse-majesté