"sacrilegious treatment, act of diverting from a hallowed purpose or use," 1717, noun of action from desecrate (v.).
Entries linking to desecration
desecrate v.
"divest of sacred character, treat with sacrilege," 1670s, from de- "do the opposite of" + stem of consecrate. Old French had dessacrer "to profane," and there is a similar formation in Italian; but Latin desecrare meant "to make holy," with de- in this case having a completive sense. Related: Desecrated; desecrating.