Lèse-majesté - plus, 'Whistle-Blower': A History

[Merriam-Webster]( WORD OF THE DAY September 25, 2019 lèse-majesté [Audio pronunciation]( noun | layz-MAJ-uh-stee Definition 1 a : a crime (such as [treason]( committed against a [sovereign]( power b : an offense violating the dignity of a ruler as the representative of a sovereign power 2 : a detraction from or affront to dignity or importance Scroll down for more about lèse-majesté TRENDING NOW: [impeach]( [dastardly]( [stymie]( [what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander]( [SEE ALL [>]]( PEOPLE ARE READING ['Whistle-Blower': A History]( [Looking at ‘Bothsidesing’]( [On ‘Infringe,’ ‘Encroach,’ and ‘Impinge’]( [The Good, The Bad, & The Semantically Imprecise - 9/20/19]( WORD GAMES AND QUIZZES: WEEKLY CHALLENGE [The Exceptions Quiz III]( Which of these things doesn't belong? [PLAY NOW]( Nailed this quiz? We have plenty more to try! [TAKE ME THERE [>]]( Did You Know? Lèse-majesté (or lese majesty, as it is also styled in English publications) comes into English by way of Middle French, from the Latin laesa majestas, which literally means "injured majesty." The English term can conceivably cover any offense against a sovereign power or its ruler, from treason to a simple breach of etiquette. Lèse-majesté has also acquired a more lighthearted or ironic meaning, referring to an insult or impudence to a particularly pompous or self-important person or organization. As such, it may be applied to a relatively inoffensive act that has been exaggeratedly treated as if it were a great affront. Examples of LÈSE-MAJESTÉ "David's grandfather, [President Eisenhower]( had left David all his clothes in his will, and David felt obliged to wear them…. Naturally, it would be something along the lines of lèse-majesté for him to remove the presidential jacket and vest and sit in his shirtsleeves, so he gamely continued to sweat in the sweltering heat, out of respect for Ike." — [Michael Korda, Another Life, 2000]( "Thai law makes it illegal to defame, insult or threaten 'the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent.' … Though other countries still have similar laws—both Spain and the Netherlands have lèse-majesté laws on the books—Thailand's enforcement of its laws may make them the strictest in the world." — [Adam Taylor, The Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2019]( Test Your Vocabulary Fill in the blanks to complete a noun that refers to the quality or state of being faithless or disloyal: p _ r _ i _ y. [VIEW THE ANSWER [>]]( MORE WORD FUN: [WORD GAMES [>]]( [TRENDING NOW [>]]( [WORDS AT PLAY [>]]( FOLLOW US: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( SHARE: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [View this email in a web browser]( You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day. [Unsubscribe from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day]( [Manage your subscription settings]( Merriam-Webster, Inc. 47 Federal Street, P.O. Box 281 Springfield, MA, 01102, USA [www.merriam-webster.com]( | [Privacy Policy]( © 2019 by Merriam-Webster, Inc.